Is chocolate really that bad for dogs?

Answer 1

YES!!

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.

Symptoms of Chocolate Dog Ingestion and Poisoning
You can recognize that your dog has eaten a toxic dose of chocolate from the symptoms. Within the first few hours, the evidence 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.

This can lead to hyperthermia, muscle tremors, seizures, coma and even death.

How Much Chocolate Is Deadly?
If a 50-pound dog eats a teaspoonful of milk chocolate, it's not going to cause serious problems. However, if that same dog gorges himself on a two-layer chocolate cake, his stomach will feel more than upset and soon it's likely he'll be vomiting or experiencing diarrhea.

To answer the question "How much is too much" is not simple. 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 plate of chocolate is going to be different from a young healthy dog of the same weight.

Another fact that must be considered is this: Not all chocolate is the same. Some has a small amount of theobromine; another type has a large amount and still another contains an amount that is somewhere in between. The quantity has a relationship with the weight of your dog. Small dogs can be poisoned, it is easy to understand, from smaller amounts of theobromine than large dogs.

Which chocolate is the safest, relatively speaking? White chocolate. It has the least amount of theobromine: 1 mg per ounce. Far on the other side of the spectrum is baking chocolate, which has a huge 450 mg of theobromine per ounce!

Here are a few other chocolates for you to ponder: hot chocolate, 12 mg of theobromine per ounce; milk chocolate, 60 mg/oz; and up there near baking chocolate: semi-sweet chocolate with 260 mg/oz.

Onions and macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs, also, apparently.

Answer 2

Yes, try to avoid leaving chocolate in an easily-accessable place if you have a dog. ESPECIALLY dark chocolate or chocolate with nuts. If your dog has eaten some in the past, though, don't worry. My little westie ate an ENORMOUS milk chocolate easter bunny once and he's still alive and well. But then again he grew up on a diet of crayons and plastic toys and pencils. It's not the healthiest of life styles.








--

Answer 3

Yes. Chocolate is like poison to dogs. Some dogs can eat some chocolate without being affected, but it isn't worth the risk you would be taking.

Answer 4

The darker the chocolate the more toxic it is too dogs and the smaller amount it will take to kill them. I had a toy poodle that got into some chocolate chips and we thought he was going to die. He made it but he was in some serious pain. I felt so bad for him.

Answer 5

Dog's aren't allergic to chocolate, it's the caffeine in chocolate. Milk chocolate is not that bad, as long as they don't eat a lot. Baker's chocolate is very bad for them, they can eat a bit and die.

Answer 6

You know that's a good question...Ive had people tell me potatoes and chocolate are deadly for dogs, but Ive given both to my dog, before i knew this. and it never hurt him, but i watched, animal planets, Vets..and this one lady brought in a dog that got ahold of a candy bar and it went into shock. So I would just be very careful what i gave my dog..If you love him you will want to keep him safe.

Answer 7

Thats bull I have a dog that is 14 years old and I have let her lick my ice cream bowl which is alway chocolate for 10 years, And she is healthy

Answer 8

YES!!! my jack russell ate three pieces of chocolate/peanut butter candies one day (unbeknownst to us) and a few hours later she started having seizures.....she spent three nights at the vet, but shes ok now. My golden retreiver has eaten that much and it didnt make him sick. It depends on the dog....Chocolate can be fatal!

Answer 9

Yes, it will kill them. My dogs stomach had to be pumped for eating a few valentines chocolates. They will go into seizures until they die. If your dog has eaten any, get him to the vet asap.

Answer 10

Yes, it's potentially fatal. Especially if it's a little dog, it's harder for them to deal with it. Any human food is harmful to a dog. It's not their food, it's not made for them and might contain ingredients that are incredibly harmful.