FrançaisCan dogs drink alcohol?
No. Dogs cannot tolerate alcohol, even in small amounts [4]. Ethanol can cause vomiting, wobbling, depression, breathing problems, tremors, changes in blood pH, coma and death [10]. Alcohol is absorbed quickly, so if your dog has drunk alcohol or eaten raw yeast dough, call your vet or a pet poison line now, even if it seems fine [10].
Dogs seem attracted to alcoholic drinks, so do not leave glasses unattended, and never give a dog alcohol as a joke: serious poisonings have happened that way [4].
Where dogs find alcohol
- Drinks: licks of beer, wine or mixed drinks, and candies with liquor centers [11]. Most ethanol poisonings in pets come from alcoholic drinks [3].
- Raw yeast dough: uncooked bread and pizza dough contain baker’s yeast, which turns sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide gas [3].
- Rotting fruit: a dog that ate a large amount of rotten apples died of ethanol poisoning [6]. Another dog was poisoned by sloe berries soaked in gin [8].
- Household products: hand sanitizer often contains ethanol [13]. Ethanol is also found in perfume, mouthwash, some medicines, paint and varnish [3].
Beer brewers should know that hops are a separate danger. In 5 dogs that ate spent hops, signs began after about 3 hours, with very high body temperature, panting and seizures; 4 of the 5 died [9].
How alcohol and bread dough harm a dog
Ethanol is quickly absorbed from the gut and crosses into the brain [3]. It slows the nervous system down, which explains the drunk look, the sleepiness and, in severe cases, coma and slow breathing [3, 7]. When dogs die, it is usually from breathing and heart arrest caused by deep depression of the brain [7].
Breaking down alcohol also changes how the liver works. That can lead to low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and a build-up of lactic acid in some cases [7]. Acid build-up in the blood (metabolic acidosis) is a typical finding [1, 3].
Raw dough adds a mechanical problem. The warm, moist stomach works like an incubator: the yeast multiplies, the dough rises, and the stomach stretches [1]. A stretched stomach gets less blood to its wall and can press on the lungs [1]. In breeds prone to bloat, the dough can trigger a twisted stomach (gastric dilatation-volvulus, GDV) [1, 10]. Even so, deaths are usually due to the alcohol rather than the swelling [1].
Signs and timing
After drinking alcohol, signs usually appear within an hour [3]. After raw dough, the first signs are often retching and a swollen belly, and the drunk signs follow as alcohol builds up [1].
- Early signs: wobbling, dullness and vomiting [11]. After dough: retching without bringing anything up, and a swollen, painful belly [1, 3].
- Then: disorientation, weakness and sleepiness, with low body temperature [1, 3].
- Severe signs: slow or poor breathing, low blood sugar, low blood pressure, seizures and coma [1, 3, 12].
- In real cases: 3 dogs that ate raw bread dough had vomiting, wobbling, blindness, low body temperature and could not stand; all 3 recovered with treatment [5]. A young dog that ate at least 127 gin-soaked sloe berries could not move its legs and recovered within 24 hours [8].
Signs of bloat (GDV) include retching without vomiting, a distended belly, a fast heart rate, weakness and collapse [12]. Any of these needs a vet at once.
What the vet checks, and why
The diagnosis often rests on what the dog drank or ate and the signs [1]. A blood alcohol level confirms it, and it is always high in dough poisoning, but most clinics cannot measure it on site [1]. The vet also rules out other causes of a wobbly, dull dog: a bloated or twisted stomach, a swallowed object, antifreeze (ethylene glycol) and sedative drugs [1]. Antifreeze is a key one, because its first signs look exactly like being drunk [14].
- Abbreviation GLU or glucose: blood sugar. Low glucose is one of the severe signs of bread dough poisoning [1].
- Result 55 mg/dL in this illustrative line: below the interval. Breaking down alcohol can lower blood sugar [7].
- Unit mg/dL in the US; mmol/L in Europe: 55 mg/dL ≈ 3.1 mmol/L (÷ 18).
- Laboratory interval The example uses the dog interval of the Merck Veterinary Manual [16]; each laboratory sets its own.
- Flag L: below the interval. Correcting low blood sugar is part of the hospital care of alcohol poisoning [1], so the vet may recheck it.
Unit converter
Equivalent values
- Glucose, mmol/L–
- Glucose, g/L–
Conversion only changes the unit. Compare the result with the interval printed by the laboratory that measured it.
| Check | What can be found | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Blood glucose | Low | Alcohol can lower blood sugar [1, 7]; the vet corrects it [1] |
| Blood gas (acid–base) | Metabolic acidosis | Ethanol makes the blood too acidic [1, 3]; the vet corrects it [1] |
| Lactate | Sometimes high | Lactic acid can build up as alcohol is broken down [7] |
| Electrolytes | Imbalances | Electrolytes and acid–base status are corrected in severe cases [4] |
| Blood alcohol (ethanol) | High | Confirms the cause; not available in most clinics [1]. A dog that died had 300 mg/dL [6] |
| Temperature | Low | Hypothermia is common and must be corrected [1, 3] |
| Breathing, heart rate and rhythm | Slow breathing, rhythm problems | Deep sedation can stop breathing; heart rhythm problems are treated [1, 7] |
| Belly X-rays | Stomach full of dough and gas | Help tell a stretched stomach from a twisted one (GDV) [15] |
Low blood sugar has other causes in dogs, such as xylitol poisoning [4]. That is one more reason to tell the vet everything the dog could have reached.
Care and outlook
Care depends on the dog. If dough was eaten recently and the dog is still well, the vet may make it vomit, although sticky dough is hard to bring up; rarely, it has to be removed by surgery [1]. Dogs with signs are stabilized first [1]. Hospital care corrects blood sugar, acid balance, heart rhythm and body temperature [1], and fluids help the body pass the alcohol in the urine [2]. Severe cases may need breathing support [4]; dialysis has helped remove alcohol quickly in some [3].
Most dogs recover when they are watched closely and given supportive care [3]. All 3 dogs in the bread dough case series survived [5]. Deaths do occur: a dog that ate a large amount of rotten apples died 48 hours later [6].
Related articles
All foods toxic to pets: toxic foods for dogs and cats. Other kitchen risks: chocolate and grapes and raisins.
En français : alcool, pâte à pain et chien.
Questions to ask your veterinarian
- Is my dog’s blood glucose normal, and will it be rechecked?
- Does the blood gas show acidosis?
- Can a blood alcohol level be measured, or sent to a lab?
- Is the stomach stretched or twisted on the X-rays?
- How long should my dog be watched before going home?
Get your dog’s emergency blood results explained.
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Frequently asked questions
What do you do if your dog drank alcohol?
Call your vet or a pet poison line now, even if your dog seems fine: alcohol is absorbed quickly [10] and signs usually start within an hour [3]. Note what was drunk, roughly how much and when. Do not try to make your dog vomit unless your vet tells you to.
What happens if my dog licks beer?
Licks of beer are one of the ways dogs are poisoned by alcohol [11]. Signs can include wobbling, dullness and vomiting [11]. Call your vet or a pet poison line whatever the amount. Spent hops from home brewing are a separate danger that can cause a dangerously high temperature [9].
What to do if a dog licks wine?
Treat it like any alcohol: dogs cannot tolerate even small amounts [4]. Call your vet or a pet poison line, and watch for wobbling, vomiting, sleepiness or slow breathing, which usually appear within an hour [3, 11].
How much alcohol can harm a dog?
No amount is known to be safe: dogs cannot tolerate alcohol, even in small amounts [4]. In reported cases, a dog that died had a blood alcohol level of 300 mg/dL [6], and a young dog with an estimated level of at least 0.75 per mille (0.75‰) could not move its legs [8]. Call your vet or a pet poison line whatever the amount.
Sources
- Hayes C. Bread Dough Toxicosis in Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual, reviewed 2024, updated 2025. merckvetmanual.com/toxicology/food-hazards/bread-dough-toxicosis-in-animals
- Gwaltney-Brant SM. Food Hazards (pet owner version). Merck Veterinary Manual, updated 2026. merckvetmanual.com/special-pet-topics/poisoning/food-hazards
- Cortinovis C, Caloni F. Household Food Items Toxic to Dogs and Cats. Front Vet Sci. 2016;3:26. doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2016.00026
- Kovalkovičová N et al. Some food toxic for pets. Interdiscip Toxicol. 2009;2(3):169-176. doi.org/10.2478/v10102-009-0012-4
- Means C. Bread dough toxicosis in dogs. J Vet Emerg Crit Care. 2003;13(1):39-41. doi.org/10.1046/j.1435-6935.2003.00068.x
- Kammerer M, Sachot E, Blanchot D. Ethanol toxicosis from the ingestion of rotten apples by a dog. Vet Hum Toxicol. 2001;43(6):349-350. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11757994
- Valentine WM. Toxicology of selected pesticides, drugs, and chemicals. Short-chain alcohols. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1990;20(2):515-523. doi.org/10.1016/s0195-5616(90)50042-x
- Lumeij JT. Ethanol poisoning as a differential diagnosis in a hunter’s dog with tetraplegia. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd. 2009;134(22):932-933. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20055025
- Duncan KL, Hare WR, Buck WB. Malignant hyperthermia-like reaction secondary to ingestion of hops in five dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1997;210(1):51-54. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8977648
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets. aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets
- Pet Poison Helpline. Alcohol. petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/alcohol
- Pet Poison Helpline. Bread Dough. petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/bread-dough
- Pet Poison Helpline. Hand Sanitizer (Ethanol). petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/hand-sanitizer-ethanol
- Regehr T. Ethylene Glycol Toxicosis in Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual, updated 2024. merckvetmanual.com/toxicology/ethylene-glycol-toxicosis/ethylene-glycol-toxicosis-in-animals
- Winkler KP. Gastric Dilation and Volvulus in Small Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual, 2025. merckvetmanual.com/digestive-system/diseases-of-the-stomach-and-intestines-in-small-animals/gastric-dilation-and-volvulus-in-small-animals
- Merck Veterinary Manual. Serum biochemical analysis reference ranges. merckvetmanual.com/reference-values-and-conversion-tables/reference-guides/serum-biochemical-analysis-reference-ranges
Laboratory methods and reference intervals vary. This article explains; it does not diagnose. For a decision about your pet, use the original report and talk to your veterinarian. Our editorial policy.