Dogs and Chocolate: Everything You Need to Know
Your dog is part of the family, and it is very easy to want to treat them as such, right down to what you feed them. Every puppy loves a delicious treat, particularly a sweet one, but unlike most humans, they do not know what is good for them.
Chocolate is one of the many human foods toxic to dogs, as many people know. However, you may not know how to tell if your dog ingested chocolate and how to respond if you’re going to help them.
Can Dogs Eat Chocolate?
The straight answer is no. Chocolate contains caffeine and a chemical called Theobromine which cats and dogs cannot digest. Theobromine clogs up your dog’s system, and in severe cases, it can lead to organ failure. Therefore, chocolate should be considered extremely poisonous to dogs, and you should avoid it at all costs.
Can Dogs Eat Sugar-Free Chocolate?
Some owners may think that sugar-free chocolate is not as bad for your dog, but it’s quite the opposite. Sugar-free chocolate contains Xylitol, which is highly toxic to dogs, even in small doses.
Xylitol causes an increased release of insulin which can give your dog Hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia essentially means low blood sugar, and it can lead to drowsiness, seizures, and liver damage, with a risk of a fatal end.
Sugar-free chocolate is a major cause of concern for your pets, so if you have it in the house, be sure to store it safely, and if you notice that your dog has gotten into your stash, get in touch with your vet immediately.
How Much Chocolate Is Toxic To Dogs?
This is a tricky question to answer. Many dogs can eat chocolate in small doses and survive, but it can be challenging to determine the quantity as every dog is different and will have a different reaction. So, the best choice is to stop your dog from eating any amount of chocolate.
If you end up in a situation where your dog has eaten chocolate, the toxicity level will depend on how much chocolate they ingest, the type of chocolate, and the dog’s size. A smaller dog will be impacted more by a smaller amount of chocolate and vice versa.
On top of this, different chocolates contain different amounts of Theobromine. Baking chocolate and cocoa powder have the highest Theobromine content, followed by dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. So, baking chocolate is the most poisonous and will threaten your pet more than the same amount of white chocolate.
The safest rule to follow is to contact your vet if your pet eats chocolate, and they will guide you on how to best care for your pet.
What Are The Symptoms Of Chocolate Toxicity?
If your dog ate chocolate, your dog would begin to show symptoms of chocolate poisoning within a few hours, and the reaction will vary depending on the quantity of chocolate ingested.
Smaller amounts of chocolate will lead to minor symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which still requires a vet’s attention.
A larger amount of chocolate will lead to more severe symptoms and leave your pet seriously unwell. Since Theobromine is known to cause hyperactivity, you may notice hyperactive behaviours if your pet has eaten a toxic amount of chocolate.
Additionally, your dog may experience:
- Restlessness
- Muscle Tremors
- Agitation
- Seizures
- Increased Heart Rate
- Rapid Breathing
Please take note, symptoms can worsen over 24 hours, so be mindful of when you choose to take action as it could severely impact your dog’s prognosis.
What Is The Treatment For Chocolate Poisoning?
Treatment depends on the amount of chocolate consumed and its Theobromine content. If possible, you should inform your vet of the type and quantity of chocolate so they can best treat your dog.
If your dog is treated early on, your dog has a good chance of recovering quickly. Your vet will run tests to check your pet’s condition and then safely induce vomiting to flush all of the chocolate out of your dog’s system.
If Theobromine is allowed to absorb into your dog’s system, it can hugely impact their health, so your vet may administer activated charcoal to absorb any excess Theobromine.
Your dog may worsen over time and require further and possibly ongoing treatment in severe cases. In this case, your dog will undergo intravenous fluid therapy to flush the Theobromine out of its system. If your dog is experiencing seizures and arrhythmias, your vet will likely administer specific medication to calm their heart rate.
This all may sound scary and worrisome, but awareness and education are your pet’s best protection. As a loving dog owner, your prompt response and intervention, if your pet does consume chocolate, allows treatment to work more effectively and improves the likelihood your dog will be back to 100% as soon as possible.