You must have heard the news. Chocoholics Live Longer. This must be true! We always knew that chocolates were delicious, but it turns out there’s more to chocolates than just being tasty. This Happy News made people to buy chocolate and eat more with delight! Believe it or not, there are also dogs in this world. And strangely, these intelligent dogs love chocolate as well! So does My dog Rocky-the-Rocky-Mountain-Dog Rocky.
You might be surprised to learn that dogs can eat chocolate. In fact, it’s not all that uncommon for dogs to accidentally ingest chocolate, especially if they’re particularly fond of their owners’ discarded candy wrappers.
But what you probably didn’t know is that too much chocolate can cause serious health issues in your dog—and even kill them.
The symptoms of chocolate poisoning in dogs are varied and include: vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, elevated heart rate and blood pressure, tremors or seizures. If you notice any of these signs in your dog after he’s eaten a large amount of chocolate, call your veterinarian immediately.
How much chocolate is too much for a dog
Why is chocolate so toxic to dogs?
Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. Theobromine is a stimulant that affects heart rate and blood pressure in humans but can be fatal to dogs. Unsurprisingly, dark chocolate contains more of this chemical than milk chocolate.
The caffeine content of chocolate can also be harmful to dogs because it acts as a diuretic, dehydrating your pet and causing kidney failure. But don’t worry—even if your dog only eats an ounce of dark chocolate (which has about 40 mg of caffeine), it won’t do any damage—that’s the equivalent of about two cups’ worth for humans!
Dogs love fat, especially buttery desserts like cookies and cake; however, just like with humans who eat too much saturated fat from animal products like beef burgers or fried chicken thighs (which are linked with obesity), consuming too much fat can lead to weight gain or obesity over time (if not immediately). Even though some cookies contain less calories per serving than others based on their ingredients list alone (a low-calorie cookie made with whole grains will have fewer calories than one made with processed flour), all cookies provide excess calories when eaten as part of daily meals throughout multiple days per week without exercising enough during that same time period—and that’s just one type
Is your dog at risk?
While it sounds like chocolate poisoning should be a concern for every dog owner, it’s important to note that not all dogs will react the same way. For example, if you have a small breed of dog or one with specific health conditions (such as pancreatitis), they’re more at risk for chocolate toxicity than larger breeds and healthier animals. Additionally, an athletic pooch who spends most of his time running around outside might be less susceptible to the harmful effects of chocolate than a couch potato whose only exercise comes from chasing after treats.
How much chocolate is too much?
There are several factors that determine how much chocolate is too much. First, you have to consider the type of chocolate in question. Different types have different levels of toxicity, so it’s important to know which is which. For example, white chocolate usually contains less than 1% cocoa butter and therefore has a very low risk for toxicity if eaten by dogs. In contrast, dark or semi-sweet chocolate can contain as much as 60% cocoa butter and pose more of a threat to your dog if consumed in large enough quantities.
Second, you need to consider your dog’s weight relative to its breed and size (i.e., small vs large). The smaller their body mass is compared to their overall size, the more likely it is that your dog will suffer from poisoning symptoms after eating too much chocolate — especially if they consume milk-based chocolates such as white or milk chocolates that contain significantly higher concentrations of milk solids than traditional dark/semi sweet varieties do!
Just remember: Dogs aren’t humans (or mice), so while studies have shown that 50 grams per kilogram is safe for mice consumption over time periods up until several weeks long without causing any serious side effects…this may not necessarily apply well enough when extrapolating these results onto our pets’ physiology—especially since dogs tend not eat large amounts at once like humans might (though some do!).
What to do if your dog eats chocolate
If your dog has consumed chocolate, you should call your vet immediately. They will ask a number of questions to determine what course of action to take.
- How much chocolate was consumed?
- What type of chocolate? Dark or white? Milk or dark?
- How large is your dog? Weight and breed matter here as well! For example, larger dogs can more easily metabolize theobromine compared to smaller breeds. Also keep in mind that some dogs are simply smaller than others and may have lower tolerances for certain foods even if their weight isn’t substantially different from other dogs’ weights (or yours!).
- How long ago was the chocolate consumed? After about 12 hours post ingestion my vet still told me not to induce vomiting unless instructed by them first because it’s not likely that anything would come up at this point anyways—theobromine is absorbed fairly quickly but takes its time leaving the body completely so I knew there wasn’t much point in trying to get some out at home ourselves when we could just wait for our appointment where they could try something else instead!
Ways to prevent your dog from eating chocolate
The best way to prevent chocolate poisoning is to keep chocolate away from your dog. If you have children in the house, be sure they know not to drop pieces of broken chocolate on the floor or leave them lying around.
You can also consider putting locks on cabinets and drawers where you store your chocolates, but this may not be practical or safe if you have small children in the house who need access to those cabinets and drawers for other items.
Another option is using child-proof containers for storing candy and other sweets that might attract canine interest, such as potato chips or cookies made with peanut butter (which dogs are known to like). To learn how much peanut butter a dog can eat without getting sick, check out our article on peanut butter toxicity in dogs here .
Chocolate is dangerous for dogs but it’s possible for them to eat a small amount without suffering immediate signs of poisoning.
However, if your dog does eat chocolate and experiences any symptoms, call your vet. The treatment for chocolate poisoning is not the same for all dogs. If you’re wondering whether or not chocolate is okay for dogs to eat, there are some important things to keep in mind:
- Dogs are more sensitive than humans and other animals to the toxic effects of chocolate.
- It’s important to remember that a small amount of chocolate may be safe for your dog… but only if it’s eaten at one time and not every day! Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine which can be toxic in large amounts.
- Cats don’t have this sensitivity so it’s generally safe for them too (but cats can’t digest milk so watch out for milk products). Rabbits on the other hand also seem immune since their digestive system doesn’t break down theobromine very well either.*