Beer, wine, spirits and alcohol-containing foods cause rapid intoxication and CNS depression in dogs.
Dogs are far more sensitive to ethanol than humans. Even small amounts can cause dangerous drops in blood sugar, body temperature and breathing rate.
Ethanol is rapidly absorbed across the gastric mucosa and crosses the blood-brain barrier within 30–60 minutes. It depresses the CNS, causes metabolic acidosis, and impairs gluconeogenesis leading to hypoglycemia. Severe cases progress to respiratory depression and cardiac arrest.
Sources
Toxic effects begin around 0.5–1 ml of pure ethanol per kg body weight; lethal doses are 4–8 ml/kg. A 10 kg dog can be severely affected by 50 ml of wine.
Contact your veterinarian or an emergency animal poison hotline immediately. Do not induce vomiting unless instructed by a vet.
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