Keep your tea to yourself: black, green, white, oolong and most bottled teas contain caffeine, which can poison dogs. The ASPCA warns that caffeine can cause abnormal heart rhythms, tremors, seizures and, at high doses, death in pets. How much your dog got is what decides the next step. Pet Poison Helpline says one or two licks of tea are unlikely to poison most pets, while tea bags can cause serious poisoning.
If your dog lapped a little brewed tea from a cup, stay with them for the next few hours and watch for restlessness or vomiting. If they chewed or swallowed a tea bag, ate loose leaves or matcha, got into green tea extract or a caffeine supplement, or drank a lot, call your vet or a poison line now.
Key takeaways
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- Most tea contains caffeine, and caffeine is poisonous to dogs.
- A lick or two of brewed tea is unlikely to poison most dogs.
- Tea bags, loose leaves, matcha and green tea extract are concentrated. Call now.
- Signs can begin within about 1 to 2 hours: restlessness, vomiting, panting, a racing heart, tremors.
- Herbal tea is a different question for every plant. Check the box for the ingredients.
My dog drank tea or ate a tea bag: what to do now
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| What happened | What to do |
|---|---|
| What happenedOne or two licks of brewed tea | What to doWatch for restlessness, panting or vomiting over the next few hours. Call if you see any. |
| What happenedMost of a mug, a glass of iced tea, or a bottled tea | What to doCall your vet or a poison line, with your dog's weight and the label. |
| What happenedChewed or swallowed a tea bag, used or unused | What to doCall now. The bag holds concentrated caffeine and can also block the gut. |
| What happenedLoose tea leaves, matcha powder or instant tea | What to doCall now. |
| What happenedGreen tea extract, an energy tea, a diet tea or a caffeine supplement | What to doCall now, with the bottle in hand. |
| What happenedTea with chocolate, alcohol or a sugar-free sweetener | What to doCall now. Those ingredients carry their own risks. |
| What happenedHot tea spilled on or drunk by your dog | What to doCheck for burns in the mouth or on the skin, and call your vet if you see redness or pain. |
Before you call, gather what you can: the kind of tea, the box or bottle, roughly how much, when it happened and your dog's weight. Pet Poison Helpline's advice is to call your vet or its line right away if you think your pet ate something toxic.
Go to a vet now if your dog is shaking, has a racing or uneven heartbeat, is very hot, collapses or has a seizure.
Which teas carry caffeine
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| Type | Caffeine | What it means for your dog |
|---|---|---|
| TypeBlack, green, white, oolong, pu-erh | CaffeineYes | What it means for your dogA lick is small; a mug or a bag is a call |
| TypeChai | CaffeineUsually, from black tea | What it means for your dogAlso check for chocolate, sugar and milk |
| TypeMatcha | CaffeineYes, in powdered leaf | What it means for your dogConcentrated. Call. |
| TypeIced, sweet and bottled tea | CaffeineUsually | What it means for your dogThe label lists caffeine or the tea type |
| TypeDecaf tea | CaffeineMuch less | What it means for your dogLower risk, but decaf is not always caffeine free |
| TypeEnergy, diet and weight-loss teas | CaffeineCan be high | What it means for your dogMay add guarana, yerba mate or green tea extract. Call. |
| TypeHerbal tea | CaffeineDepends on the plants | What it means for your dogRead the ingredients; some blends add green tea or guarana |
Pet Poison Helpline describes decaffeinated tea as a much smaller risk. Read the box anyway, since decaf still contains some caffeine and flavored blends can add other ingredients.
How much caffeine is a problem
There is no published safe or toxic amount of tea for dogs, because the caffeine in a cup swings with the tea, the brand and how long it steeped. The caffeine itself has published levels. The Merck Veterinary Manual links mild signs to about 20 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight, heart effects to 40 to 50 mg per kilogram, and seizures to 60 mg per kilogram or more. It also warns that dogs vary, and that severe illness has happened below the doses usually quoted.
In practice, the form and your dog's size matter most. A lick of weak tea spread over a big dog is a tiny dose. The same tea bag is a far bigger share for a small dog: Pet Poison Helpline's pantry guide warns that small dogs and cats could get too much caffeine from a single tea bag. If the box lists caffeine per serving, read that number to the person on the phone.
Signs of caffeine poisoning, and when they show up
Pet Poison Helpline says signs can start within about 1 to 2 hours after a dog drinks tea. Look for:
- restlessness, pacing or hyperactivity
- vomiting or diarrhea
- panting, drinking and peeing more
- a racing or uneven heartbeat
- a high body temperature
- tremors, weakness, collapse or seizures
How long it lasts depends on how much caffeine your dog took in and on the dog. Severe cases can cause dangerous heart rhythms, overheating and seizures, which is why a tea bag or a big spill calls for a vet before signs show.
"My dog has licked my tea before and was fine"
That lines up with what Pet Poison Helpline says about a lick or two. A bit of brewed tea in a medium or large dog usually carries too little caffeine to matter. It stops being a guide when anything changes: a strong black tea left to steep, a bottle of sweet tea knocked over, a tea bag fished out of the trash, a small dog, or a dog who is more sensitive to caffeine than the last one. Signs can also take an hour or two to show, so a dog who seems fine right away may not be later. Treat each mishap as its own question.
Herbal teas, tea tree oil and other look-alikes
- Chamomile, peppermint and other herbal teas: "tea" here just means a drink made from a plant, and each plant has its own answer. Read the ingredients, and call your vet with the box if you are unsure.
- Tea tree oil: a concentrated essential oil from an unrelated plant. Call your vet or a poison line if your dog licked or swallowed any.
- Green tea extract and diet supplements: the ASPCA warns about caffeine-containing supplements, and these can hold far more than a cup of tea.
- Chai lattes and bubble tea: caffeine plus milk, sugar and sometimes chocolate. Can dogs drink milk? covers the milk side.
- Coffee, cola and energy drinks: caffeine too, often more of it. Can dogs drink coffee? walks through grounds, beans and espresso.
- Chocolate: carries a related stimulant. Can dogs eat chocolate? has the details.
Check what you learned
Quick check
Questions about dogs and tea
Can dogs drink a little tea?
One or two licks of brewed tea are unlikely to poison most dogs, according to Pet Poison Helpline. It is still not something to pour for your dog, since the caffeine varies from cup to cup. Fresh water is the drink to offer.
What happens if my dog eats a tea bag?
A tea bag holds concentrated caffeine and can also get stuck in the gut. Call your vet or a poison line now, especially for a small dog, and have the box ready.
Is green tea toxic to dogs?
Green tea contains caffeine. A lick is a small exposure; a mug, a tea bag, matcha or green tea extract is a reason to call.
Is decaf tea safe for dogs?
Pet Poison Helpline treats decaffeinated tea as a much lower risk. Decaf is not fully caffeine free, and flavored blends can add other ingredients, so read the box and skip sharing it.
Can dogs drink chamomile tea?
Herbal teas each depend on the plants in them. Check the ingredient list for green tea, guarana or other additions, and ask your vet before giving any herbal tea on purpose.
Is tea toxic to cats?
Caffeine can poison cats too, and Pet Poison Helpline warns that one tea bag can be too much for a cat.
Sources
Checked September 25, 2026.
- Pet Poison Helpline, Caffeine
- Pet Poison Helpline, Can Dogs Drink Tea?
- Pet Poison Helpline, Pantry of Poisons
- ASPCA, People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets
- ASPCA, Which Supplements and Vitamins Are Dangerous for Pets?
- Merck Veterinary Manual, Chocolate Toxicosis in Animals