Dog Chocolate Poisoning

By paying attention to a few basic safety precautions, you can keep your dog out of harm’s way and have a safe and happy holiday season.

Once dogs have tasted chocolate, they want more.

And for dogs, that's a bad thing.

Dog chocolate poisoning is not as uncommon as you might think.

Chocolate contains theobromine, a naturally occurring stimulant found in the cocoa bean.

Theobromine increases urination and affects the central nervous system as well as heart muscle.

While amounts vary by type of chocolate, it's the theobromine that is poisonous to dogs.

Some dog poisoning symptoms within the first few hours includes: vomiting, diarrhea or hyperactivity.

As time passes and there's increased absorption of the toxic substance, you'll see an increase in the dog's heart rate, which can cause arrhythmia, restlessness, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, increased urination or excessive panting.

Then the chocolate poisoning in dog can lead to hyperthermia, muscle tremors, seizures, coma and even death.

The question "How much is too much" depends on a few things.

The health and age of your dog must be considered. Obviously if your dog is aged and not in top shape, his reaction to a chocolate candy bar is going to be different from a young healthy dog of the same weight.

Of course the bigger the dog, the more chocolate before it becomes a lethal dose. Small dogs can be poisoned, it is easy to understand, from smaller amounts of theobromine than large dogs.

Another fact that must be considered is this: Not all chocolate is the same. Some have a small amount of theobromine; another type has a large amount and still another contains an amount that is somewhere in between.

Dog chocolate poisoning facts:

Milk chocolate: 1 ounce per pound of body weight.

Approximately one pound of milk chocolate is poisonous to a 20-pound dog; one-half pound for a 10-pound dog. The average chocolate bar contains 2 to 3 ounces of milk chocolate. It would take 2-3 candy bars to poison a 10 pound dog. Semi-sweet chocolate has a similar toxic level.

Sweet cocoa: 0.3 ounces per pound of body weight.

One-third of a pound of sweet cocoa is toxic to a 20-pound dog; 1/6 pound for a 10-pound dog.

Baking chocolate: 0.1 ounce per pound body weight.

Two one-ounce squares of bakers' chocolate is toxic to a 20-pound dog; one ounce for a 10-pound dog.

These are guidelines, however, serious non-fatal dog chocolate poisoning has been reported in dogs after eating smaller amounts.

Dog-proof your home to keep your dog safe. Milk chocolate should never be given to your pet and it should be kept well out of reach. Unsweetened baking chocolate should be kept in closed containers in upper, latched cupboards.

If your dog eats potentially dangerous amounts of chocolate and you know that it was within two hours, vomiting can be induced to remove the poison.

If longer than two hours has passed, your dog will need to be seen by your veterinarian and treated ASAP.

It is our responsibility to keep our pets safe.

Protect your dogs from dog chocolate poisoning.

Occasional treats are okay, but keep your dog away from candy bars.

Dog chocolate poisoning treatment

Pet Veterinarian Clinic