Many dog owners love their dogs to death, then feed them too much chocolate! As the most precious members of our families, we spoil our dogs with a lot of treats and goodies. Unfortunately, some of these goodies can make your dog quite ill. There are some obvious chocolate products that could hurt your dog if he gets into them (cookies), but what about other types? This article is focused on helping you determine how much chocolate will make your dog sick.
If you’ve ever wondered how much chocolate makes a dog sick, we’re here to help!
Chocolate is one of the most common causes of canine illness, and it’s not just because your dog has a sweet tooth. Chocolate contains caffeine, which can increase heart rate and blood pressure in dogs. It also contains methylxanthines, such as theobromine and caffeine, which are stimulants that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity and even seizures.
Once your dog ingests chocolate, it only takes about one ounce (28 g) of dark chocolate per pound (454 g) of body weight to cause toxicity. So if your dog weighs 50 pounds (22 kg), he’d have to eat 5 ounces (142 g) of dark chocolate to become ill—and that’s just dark chocolate; milk chocolate contains more methylxanthines than dark chocolate!
If you suspect your pet has eaten something toxic or poisonous and needs emergency care immediately call your local animal hospital or 24-hour veterinarian emergency number right away.
How much chocolate makes a dog sick
Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, which are highly toxic to dogs.
Theobromine and caffeine are two of the main ingredients in chocolate that can make a dog sick. The amount of toxicity depends on the type of chocolate and how much is eaten by your dog.
Cocoa powder contains 2% to 5% theobromine, while milk chocolate has 3% to 4%. White and dark chocolates have 50% or more caffeine content. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is for your dog: white chocolate has no caffeine but it still contains some theobromine; dark chocolate has both substances but also less sugar than milk or white varieties so it’s easier for dogs to digest; baker’s bittersweet bar contains significant amounts of both poisons (the highest amount per pound) which makes them very toxic! Only small amounts need be consumed before serious problems develop – only one ounce (28 grams) for every 50 pounds (22 kilograms) body weight!
The most common symptom of chocolate poisoning in dogs is acute vomiting followed by tremors, restlessness and hypertension later on as well as hyperthermia which means an elevated body temperature due to feverishness caused by organ failure secondary to renal shutdowns because kidneys cannot filter out these toxins properly anymore due to cell damage due mainly from seizures caused by high blood pressure levels associated with kidney failure itself caused by excesses intake from various forms/kinds/types/variations thereof over prolonged periods including bingeing episodes within short durations without proper rehydration fluids between such episodes which would include water alone since this could lead quickly back into dehydration mode due mainly
Dark chocolate contains more theobromine than milk chocolate, so a smaller piece of dark chocolate can be more dangerous.
The toxic dose of theobromine (the main ingredient in dark chocolate that makes it toxic to dogs) is much lower than the amount of caffeine found in milk chocolate.
To give you an idea of how much chocolate could be potentially dangerous to your dog, we’ve put together some numbers:
- One ounce of milk chocolate contains about 10 milligrams of theobromine and 40 milligrams of caffeine.
- An ounce is equal to 30 grams, which means there are 300 milligrams (mg) total in each piece!
- The daily safe intake for dogs is 100 mg per kilogram (kg) body weight, so if your pup weighs 15 kgs then they could eat up to 1,500 mg before becoming sick.
The amount of chocolate your dog should eat to make them sick depends on their weight and the type of chocolate they ate.
The amount of chocolate your dog should eat to make them sick depends on their weight and the type of chocolate they ate.
- Dark chocolate has more theobromine, so a smaller amount can make a dog sick. A 60-pound dog will need to consume just over one ounce of dark chocolate to get sick from it.
- Milk chocolate has less theobromine, so a larger amount can make a dog sick. A 60-pound dog will need to consume nearly four ounces of milk chocolate before getting sick from it!
Signs of chocolate poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, high heart rate, tremors, muscle twitches and seizures.
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- High heart rate
- Tremors or muscle twitches
- Seizures
Even small amounts of chocolate can make a dog sick and even kill it
The amount of chocolate that can make a dog sick depends on the type of chocolate eaten, as well as the size of your dog. According to Dr. Jill Osborne, a veterinarian at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, “Theobromine is toxic to all dogs.” Theobromine is naturally found in cocoa beans and is processed in dark chocolate. It’s also found in lesser amounts in milk chocolate or white chocolate (which contains no cocoa).
The amount of theobromine your dog will be exposed to depends on how much he ate and how big he is. For example:
- A 20-pound golden retriever would need about 1 ounce (30 grams) of milk chocolate before exhibiting symptoms; whereas an 80-pound German shepherd could consume 2 ounces (60 grams) without side effects.#ENDWRITE