The Good, The Bad and Dog Ate Cocoa Leave a comment

If you really want to give your pup a cookie, consider using carob chips instead, which don’t have any theobromine or caffeine. However, if you see your dog eat even a small amount of chocolate, don’t wait for symptoms to appear. Pet parents should also keep a close eye on their pup to make sure they don’t go counter-surfing for any foods that contain chocolate, such as candy, cookies, and cakes. Alternatively, add a bit of honey to make the mixture sweet and most dogs will drink it down willingly. What can dogs drink other than water? Can Dogs Eat Watermelon? There are no safe home remedies you can give your dog for chocolate ingestion without your vet’s guidance. HOW MUCH CHOCOLATE IS POISONOUS TO DOGS? However, even milk chocolate contains enough theobromine to be dangerous for dogs. Not all chocolates are the same – different types of chocolate contain different amounts of theobromine. While a toy breed may be in danger eating a small amount of milk chocolate, a 100-pound Mastiff that ate the same amount might be fine. While your dog may appear to be fine, it’s best to call your vet as a precaution.

Of all the chocolates, this variety has the highest proportion of the toxin theobromine in it (and also the highest amount of caffeine, which, while less toxic than theobromine, can add up). Generally speaking, the higher the quality of the chocolate, the higher amount of theobromine it contains. A:No. Chocolate ice cream contains theobromine, and often also has chocolate chips or fudge swirls, too. But it can contain 30 to 40% cocoa, which makes it more toxic than milk chocolate. Dogs (and other pet animals such as cats and horses) metabolize theobromine much more slowly than humans. Most dogs are also lactose intolerant, so foods high in dairy like ice cream are likely to cause gastrointestinal upset. Beyond the toxicity of chocolate, these foods often have added ingredients like high amounts of sugar and fat that can also cause problems. Unlike humans, dogs’ bodies can’t clear these ingredients nearly as fast, giving them time to build up to toxic levels.

Worse yet, semi-sweet chocolate chips are the most common chocolate chip and have higher levels of theobromine. Dark chocolates contain higher levels of theobromine than milk chocolates, and theobromine levels in white chocolates are minimal and insignificant. Even a small amount of dark chocolate can be toxic. Even if you think your dog only consumed a small amount of chocolate, it’s better to err on the side of caution and call your vet for help as soon as possible. There are a few things you can do to help your veterinarian quickly calculate if the amount of theobromine and caffeine your dog consumed will result in severe illness. If you notice that your dog has just ingested chocolate, or if your dog is showing early signs of chocolate poisoning and you think he has consumed some chocolate (you may see telltale signs such as bits and pieces of chocolate wrappings on the floor), induce vomiting immediately. This is a liquid medication that is given multiple times by mouth and works by absorbing chocolate toxins from the gut. In extreme cases, dogs are sometimes given beta blockers.

It is also good to note that older dogs and dogs with pre-existing heart conditions have a high risk of sudden death from chocolate poisoning. So, the more cocoa, the bigger a risk chocolate poses to your dog, says Dr. Robinson. There’s not a single good reason to take that risk. This is another reason not to wait on calling your veterinarian after your dog has eaten chocolate. The severity of the poisoning will be determined by the amount of chocolate and the breed of dog. This amount of bitter chocolate will contain about 175 to 868 mg of methylxanthines. Since it’s impossible to predict what will happen, the best course of action is to keep all chocolate out of paw’s reach. Similarly, you may need to perform first aid on your dog before making the trip out to your animal hospital or emergency vet. If you have some weighing scales at home and can comfortably and safely lift your dog, then it may be possible to weigh yourself holding the dog and then weighing yourself without the dog to work out how toxic is chocolate to dogs much your pet weighs. Then walk your dog around for a few minutes to get some movement, and usually vomiting occurs within 15 minutes.