Is chocolate really toxic to dogs ?

Question

I have heard that it is poisonous.

Answer 1

Yep! Causes a MI.

Answer 2

YES!!!! The cocoa is very toxic, it will make the dog sick. The type of chocolate determines the level of toxicity. They say 2 ounces of milk chocolate for every pound your dog weighs could kill it. The caffeine from the chocolate will also make your dog very hyper after it recovers. My dog got into some Hershey's Kisses around Christmas. She's very little, but she only got sick. Either way, if you suspect a dog's had chocolate, they need to go to the vet or an emergency animal clinic immediately. They had to pump her stomach to purge all the chocolate, then they gave her a charcoal substance to absorb what was left. They had to feed her fluids through an IV so she wouldn't get dehydrated. When she got home she drank so much water and peed it all out immediately, then was bouncing off the walls for about an hour.

Answer 3

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.
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Answer 4

The caffeine in chocolate causes significant stimulation to both the heart and the nervous system causing arrhythmias, and tremors/seizures. The other chemical - theobromine - causes some of these same things, but lasts up to 72 hours. Usually the toxicity is based on how much a dog ate, and based on its weight. But there are dogs that are more sensitive to chocolate than others. Also, baking cocoa and dark chocolate are much worse than milk chocolate.

Look here for more info - www.napcc.aspca.org

Answer 5

Yes, chocolate is toxic to dogs in sufficient quantities. But for that matter, chocolate is toxic to just about any animal in sufficient quantities. People don't die from chocolate poisoning because our stomachs are not large enough in proportion to our body size to hold a lethal amount. But a dog's stomach is large enough in proportion to its body size to hold enough chocolate for it to be fatal.

That said, don't freak out about it. If you leave a small dog alone with a couple of pounds of chocolate lying around, it may well kill itself. but beyond that I wouldn't lose any sleep. Chocolate's effects are not cumulative, so despite the terrible, dire warnings you'll get from lots of people, you can give your dog a little chocolate treat once in a while without doing any harm at all. Just don't overdo it. If your dog really goes nuts for chocolate, try some of the carob bean treats you can find for both dogs and humans. Much the same taste as chocolate without the toxic potential.

Answer 6

Chocolate is supposed to be fatal to a dog. I wouldn't dare take a chance with one of my dogs....or cats.

When I was a little kid, there was a big mean biting German shepard in a yard down the street from me. One Easter I decided to try to make him my friend. I took my great big chocolate bunny down there and fed him the whole darned thing through the fence...and he ate it right up. I didn't know any better. I was a little kid. Well, I don't know if that dog ever got sick or not, but I can tell you it didn't kill him...he was still alive and happy to see me the next day. After that day, he always let me pet him through the fence. I'm the only kid in the neighborhood he didn't try to eat.

Dogs love chocolate...but that dog got really lucky. Maybe because he was so large. Chocolate can and will kill a dog....especially harmful to smaller breeds.

Answer 7

Chocolate contains naturally occurring stimulant called theobromine.theobromine increases urination and affects the central nervous system as well as heart muscle. This can lead to hyperthermia, muscle tremors, seizures, coma and even death. Approximately one pound of milk chocolate is poisonous to a 20-pound dog. Two one-ounce squares of bakers' chocolate is toxic to a 20-pound dog.

Answer 8

Yes, small amount of chocolate for a dog or cat can be fatal.

Animals should not eat human food as our foods contain items that animals cannot digest and the salt, sugar contents are just extremely too high for an animals heart to handle.

Those that think they are feeding their dog potato chips out of love are actually only killing their dog.

Answer 9

Really pure chocolate that you find in Europe is more toxic, but some small dogs can't handle the stuff you find in the US either. It is best not to chance it. Don't feed your dog chocolate.

Answer 10

Oh my gosh...YES. One of my student's gave me a box of chocolates for Valentines Day and I ate one piece out of it and left the rest of the box lying by the couch with the lid on it. My little 8 lb. Yorkie pushed the top of the box open with her nose and ate the entire box of chocolates while I was in the other room! She was so sick that we thought she was going to die. She vomited all night long and drank about 10 bowls of water. I guess it was instinct on her part to drink the water to dilute the poison.

Answer 11

I had a black Lab that lived for 17 years, he ate chocolate all the time, He also ate ice cream and everything else. Rarely ever ate regular dog food.