Beverages
Beer: Safe for Dogs and Cats?
If your pet ate this, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately.
All alcoholic beverages, including beer, are toxic to dogs with no safe amount; hoppy craft beers carry an added danger from hops, which can cause a rapid, potentially fatal rise in body temperature.
Toxic principle: Ethanol; hops (in craft/hoppy beers)
Watch for
- Vomiting
- Loss of coordination (ataxia)
- Lethargy or depression
- Difficulty breathing
- Tremors
- Dangerously high body temperature (with hops)
- Coma
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-12
Cats lack the enzymes to metabolize alcohol efficiently, so beer and other alcoholic drinks are toxic even in very small amounts, with a real risk of severe poisoning or death.
Toxic principle: Ethanol
Watch for
- Vomiting
- Wobbliness or disorientation
- Low body temperature
- Low blood sugar
- Slow breathing
- Seizures
- Coma
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-12
This page is for informational purposes only and is not veterinary advice. Always consult your veterinarian about your pet's diet and health.
Read our methodology for how every verdict is sourced and reviewed.