Table of Contents
Can Chocolate Kill Dogs? Here’s What You Need To Know!
Can chocolate kill dogs or is it safe for your dog to consume? Chocolate is toxic to dogs, and based on the type and quantity consumed and your dog’s weight, it could result in a severe medical emergency.
If you suspect the dog has eaten Chocolate, keep an eye on him for signs of toxicity (see below) and get medical help from your veterinarian. Some services connect you with a veterinarian via live chat or video.
Learn how much Chocolate is too much, which types are the most toxic, and what symptoms to look for that your dog may require therapy. Let’s find out Can chocolate kill dogs or is it safe?
Why Is Chocolate Toxic to Dogs or Can chocolate Kill Dogs?
Theobromine is one of the many chemicals found in dark chocolate and cocoa. Theobromine, which used to be called xanthosis, is a bitter alkaloid that acts as a mild stimulant in the human body.
Most of the time, taking theobromine has sound effects, like lowering blood pressure, making it easier to concentrate, and making you feel better. People do that. Theobromine and caffeine both make dogs’ hearts beat faster and can overstimulate their nervous systems.
Because dogs can’t break down or “metabolize” theobromine as humans do, the compound is toxic to dogs if they get too much of it. How much is too much depends on how much the dog weighs.
When a dog eats 20 mg of theobromine per kg of body weight, it can have mild symptoms of chocolate poisoning. There are signs of heart problems at about 40 to 50 mg per kg, and at more than 60 mg/kg, there are dangerous seizures.
That’s why a candy bar might make a Chihuahua (average weight around 2 kg) run around in circles but not a Great Dane (average weight around 70 kg).
Most of the time, darker, purer chocolates are the most toxic because they have the most theobromine. According to the USDA’s nutrient database, the following amounts of theobromine are in 100 grams of different chocolate and cocoa products:
- Dark chocolate (70% cocoa): 802 mg.
- Mars Twix (twin bar): 39.9 mg.
- Baking Chocolate (unsweetened): 1297 mg.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: 2634 mg.
- White Chocolate: 0 mg.
As a general rule, chocolate poisoning in dogs happens when they eat 3.5g of dark Chocolate or 14g of milk chocolate for every kilogram they weigh.
What are the Signs of Chocolate Poisoning?
Now that you know Can chocolate kill dogs or not, let’s talk about the symptoms. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning usually show up 6 – 12 hours after your dog eats it and can last up to 72 hours. These symptoms include:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Urination increases
- Persistent panting
- Restlessness
- Increased thirst
- Tremors
- Restlessness
- Seizures
- Heart failure
- Elevated heart rate
- Sudden death
Note: Chocolate poisoning is more likely to kill older dogs and those with cardiac issues.
What should you do If Your Dog Ate Chocolate?
Can chocolate kill dogs? If you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate, consult your veterinarian. If your veterinarian is not available, several services offer live chat and video options to connect you with one.
Your veterinarian may advise that you monitor your dog for the clinical indications described above and contact back if his condition worsens, depending on his size and the amount and type of Chocolate taken.
In some circumstances, the veterinarian may prefer that you bring the dog in. Suppose your pet ate the Chocolate within the last two hours. In that case, your veterinarian may induce vomiting and give multiple doses of activated charcoal to help the toxins exit the body without being absorbed into the bloodstream.
In more severe cases, veterinarian intervention may be required to provide additional treatment, such as drugs or IV fluids, to reduce the poisoning’s effects. Seizures in dogs may need overnight monitoring at the clinic.
How You Can Prevent Your Dog from Eating Chocolate
Dogs, like humans, are lured to sweets and will most likely want to eat whatever you are eating because dogs will eat Chocolate if, given a chance, your dog must never come into touch with Chocolate.
Here are a few tips to keep your dog away from Chocolate:
- Ensure that all adults who interact with your dog know that Chocolate is terrible for them.
- Keep Chocolate out of reach by placing it on high shelves or in cabinets.
- Use a baby gate to keep your dog out of the kitchen and where you eat.
- When children are nearby the dog, keep an eye on them and tell them that feeding the dog chocolate is not a fine idea.
- Train your dog to obey the command “leave it.
Whether you’re eating Chocolate for a special occasion or regularly, keep in mind that Chocolate is extremely dangerous to dogs. Maintain chocolate treats out of your puppy’s reach and protect your furry pet!
What does Chocolate do to dogs?
The heart, central nervous system, and kidneys are all affected by chocolate poisoning. The symptoms of your dog eating chocolate usually appear four to twenty-four hours after your dog has eaten Chocolate.
Chocolate poisoning in dogs has different effects and symptoms depending on the amount consumed and the breed size.
A Labrador-sized dog eating 200g of milk chocolate, for example, is likely to experience gastrointestinal discomfort, including vomiting and diarrhea. Cardiovascular issues and an elevated heart rate are likely to occur at 500g. Seizures may occur if your dog consumes 750g.
What should you do if you don’t know how much chocolate your dog has eaten?
It’s hard to say how much chocolate your dog has eaten, and the amount of caffeine and theobromine depends on how the cocoa beans were grown, where they came from, and what kind of Chocolate they are. If you’re worried, it’s always best to be on the side of caution and ask your veterinarian for advice.
How much Chocolate can a dog eat?
Again, your dog’s chocolate consumption should ideally be zero. If your dog does consume Chocolate, a modest amount (such as a bite of your cookie) may not be harmful or fatal. The following factors determine everything:
- How much they’ve had to eat
- Type of Chocolate
- Dog’s size
Theobromine, which is harmful to dogs, is found in the highest concentrations in dark chocolate, cocoa, and baking chocolate. As a result, even a tiny amount of these chocolates could be fatal to your dog. White chocolate and milk chocolate, on the other hand, have less theobromine and hence may be less harmful. Regardless, feeding them to your dog is never a good idea.
A 44-pound dog could be poisoned by less than one ounce of Dark Chocolate.
Can Chocolate Kill Dogs- Final words:
Theobromine has no known antidote. Your veterinarian will most likely force your dog to puke. They could flush your dog’s stomach and feed activated charcoal to absorb any remaining theobromine in the intestine. Your dog’s symptoms will determine other therapies.
They may also require intravenous fluids (a drip) and medications to regulate their heart rate, blood pressure, and seizure activity. Even with those who have consumed massive doses of poison, the prognosis for a poisoned dog is usually best with immediate intervention and treatment.
Can chocolate kill dogs? More FAQs:
1. Can Chocolate kill dogs?
In high enough quantities, chocolate and cocoa products can kill your dog. Theobromine is a toxin found in Chocolate. Humans efficiently metabolize theobromine, but it is processed much more slowly by dogs, allowing toxic levels to build up in their system.
2. Is chocolate powder toxic to dogs?
Cocoa powder contains up to 26 mg of theobromine per gram, making it highly toxic to dogs. Even a few grams of rich cocoa powder can cause seizures in a 10kg dog.
3. My dog drank hot Chocolate. Is it harmful?
Most popular drinking chocolates have the same amount of theobromine or less than milk chocolate. So, a dog that weighs 10 kg would have to eat up to 130 g of drinking Chocolate to get sick.
4. Are all dogs in danger from chocolate poisoning?
It is thought that certain dogs have a genetic sensitivity to theobromine toxicity. While some experienced no clinical symptoms after consuming Chocolate, others get severe symptoms such as seizures and abnormal heart rhythms.
5. What does the chemical in Chocolate do to my dog?
Theobromine, a toxic substance found in Chocolate, has been employed in human medicine as a heart stimulant and muscle relaxant. It is also a diuretic, which reveals it causes you to pee. Furthermore, it dilates blood vessels and might cause fatal over-stimulation of the heart. Theobromine is poorly absorbed by dogs, resulting in nausea, diarrhea, and kidney issues.
6. How to know if my dog consumed Chocolate?
If your dog ate enough Chocolate to be dangerous, he’d likely start to feel sick between 4 – 24 hours later. The most common signs are sickness and diarrhea, which may contain blood, hyperactivity and restlessness, muscle tension, rapid breathing incoordination, an increased heart rate, and seizures.
7. What to do if my dog eats chocolate?
Suppose your dog ate Chocolate. Attempt to figure out what kind it was, how much, and when your dog ate it. The most hazardous chocolates are dark Chocolate, baker’s Chocolate, and cocoa powder. If your dog has consumed a potentially dangerous amount, contact your veterinarian.
8. Can a dog eat white chocolate?
White Chocolate is unlikely to cause poisoning in your dog because it does not contain enough harmful theobromine. This is true for all white chocolate products, including those labeled as containing cocoa solids. However, because white chocolate is high in fat, buttermilk, and sugar, it may cause gastrointestinal distress.
Dogs can be poisoned by hot chocolate powder.
9. Is dark chocolate bad for my dog?
A 500g bar of high-quality dark chocolate can contain up to 4000 mg of theobromine. That is enough to kill a 30kg dog like a Labrador. However, even lower-quality dark Chocolate is dangerous to dogs. A 500g bar with 45 to 59 percent cacao solids, for example, can comprise up to 2500mg of theobromine.
10. What should I provide a dog that ate Chocolate?
Never use home remedies to cure chocolate toxicity in dogs. Instead, find out how much they ate, what kind of Chocolate they ate, and how much your dog weighs. This allows you to determine whether the dose is harmful enough to require immediate veterinarian attention.
11. What to do if my canine eats a dangerous amount of Chocolate?
If you can inform your veterinarian how much Chocolate your dog ate, what sort it was (wrappers can be extremely helpful), and when your dog ate it, it will help them. This will allow them to determine whether your dog has consumed a toxic dose and what treatment is likely to be required.
12. Can dogs eat chocolate cake?
Short answer: no. There are many things in the chocolate cake that are bad for dogs, like cocoa powder and sugar. Cocoa powder, in particular, is dangerous because it has a lot of theobromine in it.
13. Is chocolate ice cream bad for my dog?
Theobromine may be present in chocolate ice cream. It also contains unhealthy ingredients such as sugar and fat, harmful to dogs. Furthermore, because most dogs are lactose intolerant, consuming foods high in milk or cream may cause stomach distress or severe clinical indications.
That was all about- Can chocolate kill dogs or not.
