Houston Vet Clinic

Chocolate and Dogs

As much as your dog may beg and cry for the chocolate you have just unwrapped, the delicious candy could actually be deadly to your dog. Never give any chocolate to your dog, and if you suspect they may have gotten into some, call your veterinarian immediately.

How Something So Sweet Could Be So Bad

Chocolates contain theobromine, a stimulant found in the cocoa bean. This substance is what is harmful to dogs. The stimulant affects the central nervous system as well as heart muscle.

Symptoms of Chocolate Ingestion

A dog will display certain symptoms if they have ingested a copious amount of chocolate. There will be vomiting, diarrhea, or hyperactivity within the first few hours of ingestion. As the time passes and the toxic substance is absorbed the dog’s heart rate with increase. This could cause:

• Arrhythmia
• Restlessness
• Hyperactivity
• Muscle twitching
• Increased urination
• Excessive panting

The end result could include:

• Hyperthermia
• Muscle tremors
• Seizures
• Coma
• Death

How Much Will Kill?

Should a rogue chocolate morsel find its way into your dog’s mouth, odds are they will be fine. A good way to think of it, is the darker the chocolate the deadlier. It would take 250 pounds of white chocolate to poison a 20lb dog. However, it only takes .1 ounces of dark or baker’s chocolate per dog’s pound for poisoning to take place. Regardless of how sweet, refrain from giving your dog any amount of any kind of chocolate.

Contact a Houston Veterinarian Clinic

If you think your dog has gotten into chocolate and may be suffering poison, contact your local Houston vet clinic immediately.