Anyone out there a chocoholic? I mean it is pretty delicious and seems to be the perfect go-to treat for any and all occasions – Valentine’s Day, Easter, Anniversaries, Birthdays, Halloween, Christmas, kid bribing (I mean rewarding), that time of the month for ladies, stress… Super versatile! And again, super delicious!
You name it and I’m sure chocolate can help! Except when it comes to your pets!
Chocolate is toxic to dogs and can lead to serious and fatal complications!
Here’s what you need to know if your pup happens to get a hold of your chocolate.
First, you are going to want to make note of a few things:
- What type of chocolate did they ingest? Dark, Milk, White?
- How much did they ingest?
- How much does your dog weigh?
- How long ago did they ingest the chocolate?
These are basic questions that your veterinary clinic will ask you to best advise you on what to do next. Some pups are lucky enough to only need monitoring but others need immediate veterinary care.
So why is chocolate so toxic to dogs?
Blame it on the methylxanthines, in particular caffeine and theobromine.
The degree of danger depends on how much of these agents are in the chocolate ingested.
Darker, less sweet chocolates contain more methylxantines per ounce and therefore are more dangerous when consumed by dogs. Here is an easy list from most toxic to least toxic for quick reference. If your pup ingests the top of the list it is more likely they will need veterinary care.
- Dry cocoa powder
- Unsweetened dark (baking) chocolate
- Semi-sweet chocolate
- Milk chocolate
- White chocolate
If you happen to see your pup eat the chocolate, call your vet immediately with the information I advised to make a note of above. If your vet feels it warrants a vet visit get them in as soon as possible so that there is the option to induce vomiting. By doing this the stomach is decontaminated and less of the methylxanthines are absorbed, decreasing the risk for additional complications. Some additional supportive care with fluids and/or oral medications may also be recommended depending on each individual situation.
So how much chocolate is bad?
Well it varies from dog to dog but as a guide you can use the following list, or just scroll down to the bottom of the post and click on the link for a chocolate toxicity calculator:
- <20mg/kg is unlikely to cause significant clinical symptoms
- 20-40mg/kg may cause mild to moderate symptoms
- 40-50mg/kg is likely to cause more severe symptoms
- >60-80mg/kg have been associated with seizures
If your pup is the sneaky kind and you found the aftermath mess of wrappers AND your pup is showing symptoms, I recommend seeking veterinary attention ASAP.
Clinical symptoms that you may see after chocolate ingestion include:
- Vomiting
- Restlessness
- Bloating
- Excessive drinking of water
- Hyperactivity
- Agitation
- Tremors
The more time passes in situations where your pup has ingested toxic amounts of chocolate the worse the symptoms will become. These symptoms include:
- Fast heart rates and irregular rhythms
- Fast breathing
- Rigidity
- Seizures
- Death
These pups will need hospitalization and aggressive treatment.
The calculator below will also provide some insight into prognosis based on the amount of chocolate ingested.
CHOCOLATE TOXICITY CALCULATOR:
http://veterinaryclinic.com/chocolate/embed/embed.html
So as much as we love chocolate and as much as we love our pets and sharing our treats with them, this is one treat you will want to enjoy all to yourself!