Is Alcohol safe for cats and dogs?
| Species | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Cats | Toxic |
| Dogs | Toxic |
Severity: Severe
Read the full first-aid guide: what to do if your pet ate something toxic
US exposure patterns go well beyond a shared beer. Hard seltzers like White Claw run about 5% ABV, similar to beer, while wine sits around 12-15% and distilled spirits (vodka, gin, rum, whiskey) run 36-50% ABV or higher -- meaning a dog that gets a full unattended pour of vodka takes in roughly 7-10x the alcohol-by-volume of the same-size lick of hard seltzer. Rum-soaked holiday fruitcake and bourbon-spiked eggnog carry concentrated alcohol plus, in fruitcake's case, a second toxin if raisins or currants are baked in. Home-brewing adds a US-specific route with no Thai equivalent: raw wort and spent brewing grain, which per Pet Poison Helpline can keep fermenting in a dog's stomach the same way raw yeast dough does, producing both gas and alcohol internally. Per the ASPCA and Pet Poison Helpline, any of these routes can cause vomiting, ataxia, dangerously low body temperature, and respiratory depression in a dog far faster than in a person, simply because of the size difference. If a dog gets into anything alcoholic, this is always an emergency regardless of amount -- call your vet, ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435, or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 immediately.
Verdict re-verified against petpoisonhelpline.com, 2026-07-26 — confirmed unchanged. Source
This page is for general information only and is not veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If your pet is showing symptoms, or you think they ate or touched something dangerous, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison-control hotline immediately.
Last verified 2026-07-26