Why is chocolate bad for dogs?

Answer 1

This is from the site listed as my source:

"Dog Chocolate Poisoning
Accidental dog chocolate poisoning increases every holiday season, Valentine's Day, and Easter Sunday.

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. "

Answer 2

Why is Chocolate Lethal?
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.

Answer 3

here is an article i wrote for my pet magazine this will explain it for you.
Health Issues: Poison Prevention
There are normal products around your house that are very harmful to your pets. There are of course a few that everyone already knows about, such as antifreeze. But there are dangers in your home that can spell serious harm and even death for your beloved pets. Do you know how many poisons lurk around your home? You should never give your dog Advil. (Ibuprofen). One 200-milligram tablet a day can trigger a stomach ulcer in a 50-pound dog. Twenty tablets in a single dose will kill that same dog. At this toxic dose, the drug closes the arteries to the kidneys, causing tissue damage through oxygen deprivation. Many other poisons are found in the home. Grapes and raisins can cause acute kidney failure. The type of grape or raisin does not matter. The ingredient that causes the damage to the kidneys has yet to be identified. Grape poisoned dogs require hospitalization and intravenous fluids for at least 48 hours. If treatment is delayed, a poisoned dog has a poor chance of survival. Chocolate is another poison for dogs. There are two toxic components in chocolate. One is caffeine, the other is theobromine. Both are methyloxanthines – chemicals that induce hyperactivity and vomiting at a low does. At higher doses, they cause heart damage and trigger nervous signs. The severity of chocolate toxicity varies with the type of chocolate. Milk chocolate contains 65 milligrams methyloxanthines per ounce; dark chocolate contains 175, while baking chocolate contains 500 milligrams. Because cardiac toxicity occurs when a dog consumes 50 milligrams per kilogram body weight, a 20-pound dog would be poisoned if he ate less than one ounce of baking chocolate. If your dog eats chocolate take your dog to a vet so they can administer activated charcoal to absorb the toxins in your dogs stomach and intestines. Marijuana can also be a cause of poisoning in dogs. Dogs are attracted to the smell and readily eat dried marijuana leaves. The active ingredient in marijuana (9- tetrahydrocannabinol – THC) produces symptoms within 30 minutes of ingestion. It targets the nervous system causing ataxia and depression, which can progress to recumbency (lying down). A marijuana-poisoned dog stimulated with a loud noise may experience a brief period of hyper excitability. The treatment for marijuana-poisoned dogs is activated charcoal to absorb the toxins in the stomach and intestines, intravenous fluids to maintain hydration, and heating pads to maintain body temperature. Most dogs recover with good nursing care. Antifreeze is the leading cause of death in poisoned dogs. Antifreeze is sweet tasting, so dogs love it. The chemical in antifreeze, ethylene glycol, damages kidney tissue, inducing acute renal failure. Few dogs survive antifreeze poisoning, even with immediate treatment. Getting you mechanic to put propylene glycol into your car’s radiator can prevent antifreeze poisoning. Other potential poisoning hazards are onions, macadamia nuts and certain mushrooms, and fertilizers. By being aware of the potential poisoning hazards in your home you can prevent your dog from being poisoned. And enjoy a long and healthy life with your pet. For more information about potential poisons in your home,

Answer 4

there is a certian chemical in it that slows the heart and hurts the stomach. A little bit shouldn't hurt the dog too much, It might just have a little stomach ache. In order for it to seriously damage a dogs heart/stomach the dog must eat a lot of it.

Answer 5

Dogs cannot metabolize the theobromine found in chocolate so it can accumulate to toxic levels if enough of the chemical is ingested in the chocolate.

Answer 6

It contains theobromine, poisonous to dogs. My dog eats chocolate chip cookies however.

Answer 7

Because it makes them blind. They already have so much sugar in their blood and that is what keeps them warm even in cold weathers. If you feed your dog with so many sweets then its blood sugar will increase so much. You know diabetic people have sight problems cause of their high blood sugar too. So if you feed it with so many sweets it will suffer from the same things a diabetic person does....

Answer 8

It poisons the liver and kidneys not the stomach as so many people have claimed.
The stomach can handle it and the dogs want more.

Answer 9

because of the chemicals in the chocolate effects the dogs nervous system and can cause sudden death.

Answer 10

They lack the necessary enzyme to digest it. In small amounts it will have little effect, larger amounts will lead to diarrhea (it's not pretty...) and a lot of it can kill them. ***PLEASE NOTE: my vet told me that the same is true of onions, for dogs and cats. DO NOT let your pets eat anything with chocolate or onions in it.