Your Morning Coffee Could Become Your Pet’s Worst Nightmare

If you live in a metropolitan city, your life is bound to be ruled by coffee. A hot cappuccino when you wake up, an espresso shot at work, café latte while chilling with friends or a tall mocha when you go on a first date. Caffeine runs in our body like blood. Coffee initiates conversations, wakes you up on a dreadful Monday morning and even cures your hangover! We all have become caffeine addicts and we are not even sorry! The growing number of coffee chains is a sign that we all love coffee and this beverage is here to stay. But should you be sharing coffee with your pet?

The only answer is NO! Your furry friend could be sharing the same house with you but do not share your cappuccino with them. They may lure you with their innocent face and cute eyes, but do not fall for it, hooman! You know your pet better than anyone. But make sure that coffee is not accessible to them or they might end up at the vet clinic; not a pretty sight for you or your pet! Coffee is a poison for your pet.
 

 

“Coffee – the favorite drink of the civilized world” – Thomas Jefferson

Where does coffee hail from?

Nobody knows the exact origin of coffee. However, there’s a very famous story associated with it. This rich and smooth beverage can be traced centuries back to the forests of Ethiopia. There, a goatherd discovered the potential of these lovely brown beans. He realized that his herd gained extra energy after eating berries from a certain tree. Their caffeine-infused bodies didn’t even let them sleep all night.
 
The story of these magical beans spread to the East like wildfire, and reached the Arabian Peninsula. Thus, began the journey of our favorite beverage! By the 16th century, it spread further to Turkey, Syria, and Egypt. It started getting accepted in the households and was loved and enjoyed by all.
 

Filter Coffee – We Indians love it!

While a big chunk of Indians are known to be chai lovers, coffee has always been the first love of our Southern half. Coffee plantations are very popular in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and have been growing since the 1600’s. India mainly produces the Robusta species of coffee which makes it slightly different from the rest of the world.
 

 
Filter coffee is made using a 100 years old method where the ground coffee is passed through a perforated vessel along with water. The liquid coffee brew is then mixed with hot milk. Every South Indian savors its taste and can smell the aroma from a mile’s distance. This traditional coffee is loved not only by the Southern states but is pretty famous all over the Indian subcontinent. Filter coffee is best enjoyed in a traditional steel cup with a saucer where every slurp reminds you of its rich taste and culture.
 

Does coffee have any nutritional value?

Studies show that drinking a proportioned amount of coffee every day lowers the risk of heart diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and heart stroke in humans. Other than that, coffee has no other nutritional value in particular that it adds.
 

Coffee! O! So many varieties…

Earlier filter coffee was synonymous with coffee in India. But slowly, the culture saw a phenomenal change in the varieties of consumption. Today, we have black coffee, decaf, freshly brewed coffee from beans, instant coffee and of course, the plain old filter coffee. (None of which are safe for consumption for your pet dog or cat)
 

I love Coffee, but is it safe for my pet?

Have you recently caught your pet sneaking up on your cups of coffee? We always take it for granted that certain foods are not good for our pooch, and coffee is one of them. Our pets love us unconditionally and giving them a proper nutritious diet is a way of returning the love. So, no matter how much of a puppy face your furry pal makes, DO NOT give them coffee. They are curious little creatures and always invite trouble. They are always digging up your trash and might pass out if they decide to drink your discarded coffee grounds. So, BEWARE hooomans! Clean up your trash and don’t leave your half-empty coffee cups around the house. They are very nosy that way!
 

 
And, if you are not around and suspect them of consuming any caffeine-laden drink, watch out for these symptoms and immediately take them to a vet. Two hours after they have ingested caffeine and overdosed, the poisoning symptoms kick in. Here’s how they manifest:

• Restlessness: They move around, jump and run when the intake of caffeine is high
• Seizures: Watch your dog for one whole day as seizures might not happen immediately
• Increased heartrate: Sit next to them for a few hours and monitor their heartbeat. If it suddenly increases, rush them to the vet!
• Collapsing: This is the most dreadful symptom of all and we hope it never happens to your dog

What to do in an Emergency?

If you think your pet has accidentally consumed coffee while fooling around the house, take them to the vet. If a vet is not available at the moment, induce vomiting. But only do this if you suspect them to have consumed caffeine in large amounts. Licking on your empty cup of morning coffee doesn’t count. Your vet might give anti-seizure medication or similar drugs to lower down the blood pressure. Consuming a HIGH amount of caffeine can be fatal to your pet!
 

 

So what’s the final verdict?

Your pet is your family member, a best friend and like a lover who loves you unconditionally. It’s your responsibility to take care of their health and well being. If you leave them home alone all day, take them out for a walk in the evening without fail. You feed them great, healthy and real food; play with them, nurture them with love and care, and keep them away from caffeine!

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