How much chocolate is dangerous for a dog? Dog owners should not feel as if they have to change everything about their lives simply because they have a dog. Dogs are amazing animals and not only provide companionship but also loyalty and joy. When owners do not even know that the chocolate which was supposed to be used in their culinary creations is deadly for their dogs, the risk becomes higher. Owners are advised to learn the risks associated with your dogs from the article.
For many of us, chocolate is a guilty pleasure. It’s so delicious that we can’t resist it, even if we know it’s bad for us. But did you know that chocolate can also harm your dog? If your dog eats an excessive amount of chocolate, they will be at risk for serious health problems and even death.
How much chocolate is dangerous for a dog?
On average, dogs need around 0.5 oz of dark chocolate per pound per day to cause toxicosis (when the body starts to break down as a result of eating too much). For example, if you have a 30-pound dog, don’t give them more than 15 oz of dark chocolate per day (60%). In general, the darker the chocolate bar or candy bar, the higher percentage of cocoa it has and the more toxic it will be. Milk chocolate has less than 10% cocoa in it, so it doesn’t contain enough caffeine or theobromine to be considered poisonous when eaten in small amounts by dogs. White and semi-sweet chocolates contain about 25% cocoa, so they should also be avoided due to their potential toxicity when consumed by dogs in excess amounts.
How much chocolate is harmful to a dog
The type of chocolate matters.
The type of chocolate matters.
Dark chocolate is the most dangerous, while white and milk chocolates are the least toxic. If your dog eats a large quantity of any type of chocolate, it can be harmful or even fatal. For example, in a study on dogs that ate varying amounts of dark chocolate bars ranging from one-third to four times the weight of their own body weight (about 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce per pound), all subjects died within 14 days after consuming the candy bars—the amount that killed them varied from 0.5 oz – 1 oz per pound body weight; however, this study did not include white or milk chocolates as part of its results because there were too few cases where these types were eaten by dogs for any data to be collected.
The size of the dog matters.
The size of the dog is a major factor. A tiny dog can’t handle as much chocolate as a big one. The more you know about your pet’s size, the better you’ll be able to tell if they’ve had too much chocolate. If your dog is small enough to fit in your hand, it’s probably best not to let them have any chocolate at all (or at least keep it on lockdown). A large dog would have no trouble eating an entire bar or two without getting sick, whereas a small pooch will likely get sick after just half of an ounce!
There are plenty of examples that illustrate this rule: An adult Chihuahua weighs between three and six pounds; an adult German Shepherd weighs between 60 and 120 pounds; an adult Great Dane weighs between 100-200 pounds or more!
How much chocolate is too much?
How much chocolate is too much?
The amount of chocolate that could kill your dog depends on the type of chocolate, size of the dog and even how much he likes it. Theobromine is toxic to dogs, but it’s also found in other foods like tea leaves and cocoa beans. Keep in mind that theobromine is more concentrated in darker chocolates like baker’s or semisweet. And if you have a small dog, it won’t take as much to make him sick (or worse).
To help you figure out how much is too much, there are calculators online that will tell you what dosage would be fatal for your pooch based on size and weight. Here’s one free calculator from ASPCA: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/tips/chocolate-and-dogs
If your dog has eaten chocolate, call your vet immediately.
If your dog has eaten chocolate, call your vet immediately. The sooner you contact them, the better. Your vet will want to know what type of chocolate your pup ate and how much he ate. They’ll also want to know if there are any other substances that could have been ingested along with the chocolate (for example, alcohol).
In addition to calling a veterinarian in person, you can also call the National Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435. The hotline is staffed 24 hours per day by veterinary specialists who are ready to answer questions about poisonous plants and household items that could harm pets.
A small amount of dark chocolate may not be harmful to a large dog, but a large amount of dark chocolate can be deadly for small dogs.
Chocolate is toxic to dogs, but it’s unlikely that a small amount of dark chocolate would be harmful. Theobromine is the ingredient that makes chocolate toxic for dogs. Theobromine is also found in tea and cola drinks, so if your dog has ever had any of these products, he should probably stay away from chocolate as well. Chocolate contains caffeine, which can lead to serious poisoning or even sudden death if too much chocolate is consumed within a short period of time.
The chemical components contained in chocolate may cause seizures and heart problems in large dogs who eat large amounts of dark chocolate at once. Smaller dogs will have an even more difficult time processing the chemicals contained within dark cocoa powder or baking chips; therefore they should not be given any form of these products at all!