A Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine reader recently asked us the following question:
I heard somewhere that hops are poisonous for dogs. Is this true?
Yes, unfortunately hops can be quite dangerous if ingested by dogs and, more rarely, cats. Compounds in the hops can cause a malignant hyperthermia, which results in a rapid rise of body temperature. A dog’s body temperature, which is normally below 102°F (40°C), can rapidly rise to 108°F (42°C) or higher, potentially resulting in permanent damage to the organs and brain or even death.
The exact quantity of hops fatal to dogs is not known, and some breeds, such as greyhounds, retrievers, Saint Bernards, pointers, Dobermans, border collies, and English springer spaniels, are more susceptible to hops poisoning. For practical purposes, you should consider any quantity of hops to be poisonous to your dog.