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Having a Pepsi with your lunch or dinner can be great, especially if you’re having a pizza or a burger! Pepsi can also be refreshing on a hot summer’s day! But what happens if a dog drinks Pepsi? Can this drink make a dog sick?
Has your dog drunk Pepsi? Are you worried the Pepsi will make him sick? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. We understand it can be scary when your dog drinks something like this.
We’ve put together some information about Pepsi and whether it can make a dog sick. Let’s get started!
What is Pepsi?
Pepsi is a carbonated drink, which is called a soft drink. The beverage is made by the PepsiCo company. The drink was first developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham when it was called “Brad’s Drink!” Gotta love that name! Bradham sold the drink in his drugstore.
Later, in 1898, the drink was renamed Pepsi-Cola, which was shortened to “Pepsi.” It was often used to treat different types of indigestion and other stomach ailments. From there, Bradham moved the production and bottling of Pepsi to a rented warehouse. The company produced six-ounce bottles of the product, which translated into 19,848 gallons! And from there, the drink became a favorite for many!
The ingredients in Pepsi include:
- Carbonated water
- High fructose corn syrup
- Caramel color
- Sugar
- Phosphoric acid
- Caffeine
- Citric acid
- Natural flavors
So, what happens if a dog drinks Pepsi? Can the carbonated drink make a dog sick?
Pepsi & Dogs
Any type of soda, including Pepsi, has the potential to make a dog very sick. The sugar and caffeine are the most dangerous ingredients for dogs. For one thing, dogs are not able to metabolize caffeine. This means the caffeine stays in their system longer than it does in ours. The caffeine works on the dog’s central nervous system wreaking chaos.
Sugar is also very bad for dogs. Sugar can cause obesity, diabetes, and other health problems in our canine friends.
If your fur baby has one lick of Pepsi, he should be OK. However, if your dog drinks more than a lick, there’s a chance he could become sick.
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Ask a Vet Live NowSymptoms of Pepsi Ingestion in Dogs
You may notice these symptoms if your dog has drunk Pepsi:
- Weakness
- Body freezing
- Drooling (excessively)
- Lack of focus
- Head bobbing
- Back hair on edge
- Twitching of whiskers
- Seizure
- Hypertension
- Blood sugar crash
- Restlessness
- And more
If your dog develops any of these symptoms, then call the vet immediately. Don’t wait to see if your dog’s symptoms improve or worsen. Waiting could lead to death.
When you call the vet, tell them how much Pepsi your dog drank and about when this happened. With this information, the vet will be able to decide on how to proceed.
The good news is that most dogs who drink Pepsi will be OK; however, the key is to get your dog to the vet as soon as possible. Remember, prevention is always the best medicine!
Connect with a verified veterinarian in minutes. Licensed vets are available 24/7 to answer your questions. No need to worry about your furry family member.
Kim
Kim is a talented author, who loves animals especially dogs. She engaged in writing books and articles relating to animals a decade ago. Kim resides in Chicago with her husband and son. The family is the proud owner of a dog and a parrot (Jack and Lily). Kim wanted more than these two pets, but her husband put his foot down... She often visits elementary schools to talk to the kids about what she learned about pets and how they could learn from them.
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