Why is chocolate bad for dogs?

Question

Is it bad for cats also? And how much does it take to make them sick and/or die? Not that I'm interested in killing them, just wondering. Thanks!

I had a feeling someone would take this the wrong way, but I would never hurt an animal intentionally, because I Iove animals. I know its hard to get the tone of a person on a computer, but I was just curious.

Answer 1

I know I've posted this a hundred times already but it's as true now as the first time I posted it. Chocolate is, was, and always will be: BAD FOR DOGS!!!!! lol Anyway here's the chart. Unfortunately I have no idea about cats, I'm partial to dogs anyway, but I imagine that it will be about the same formula.

Knowing which chocolate is the most toxic is important, but leaves one wondering how much must be eaten to poison a dog. The list in this box should be helpful. Maybe you can clip it and post it on your refrigerator?


White chocolate: 200 ounces per pound of body weight. It takes 250 pounds of white chocolate to cause signs of poisoning in a 20-pound dog, 125 pounds for a 10-pound dog.
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.

The answer above mine is a good one. Theobromine (in the cocoa) is the poison and it causes an acceleration of the heart which can lead to a heart attack.

Answer 2

The reason chocolate is bad for both your dog and cat is because it 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 your pet. You can recognize that your pet 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 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. 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. So buy dog chocolate specially made for them and never EVER share yours!

Answer 3

chocolate contains a substance called theobromine, which is toxic to dogs and cats. it can cause anaphylactic shock and death if the animal eats too much. the reason we hear more about chocolate being bad for dogs is that cats are pickier about what they eat and they won't wolf it down when they get a chance.

not all of the stuff we call "chocolate" has the same amount of theobromine. dark chocolate and bakers chocolate are way more dangerous than milk chocolate. but of course dogs (and cats) have different body chemistry and different sensitivity to chocolate, so there's no telling with a particular animal what amount will kill them.

one of my own dogs ate half a chocolate cake, and I had to give him stuff to make him vomit... that was lovely. chocolate foam all over the yard... but he lived through it.

another one of my dogs was given 2 peices of Toblerone chocolate bar by a woman who didn't know any better... and he also lived.

I was lucky (and so were my dogs).

Answer 4

It's the theobromine in the chocolate that is toxic. It affects their heartrate and nervous system. The bitter bakers chocolate has the highest levels of theobromine. I saw a Chihuahua die from eating one square, and the vet couldn't save him. Will a chocolate chip cookie or a few m&m's hurt your dog? Probably not, but why feed something that is known to cause problems? Just because a baby would eat something it likes even if its poisonous, doesn't mean we should let 'em!!

Answer 5

Every dog I have ever owned has loved chocolate, and eaten it with no ill effect. I imagine that some dogs are allergic, same as some people are. Mostly though, it's bad for them the same as it's bad for people, the eat to much they get to fat.

My cats love white chocolate, but they get kinda catnip crazy if they get too much.

Keep in mind this is a special treat, not something any of them get all the time.

Answer 6

Chocolate is considered dangerous for all animals to ingest. That said, if your dog gets ahold of an M&M you dropped, it's not going to kill them. My aunt had a dog that ate chocolate donuts for breakfast, and he lived to be 13 with no ill effects. I would try to keep it away from them if at all possible, but if they get ahold of small amounts they'll probably be just fine.

Answer 7

the reason chocolate is bad for dogs is because it gets hung in thier little throats easy and its not like they can get a glass of water to wash it down so ya know.yea cats are the same way.

Answer 8

Theobromine poisoning or chocolate poisoning is an detrimental reaction to the alkaloid theobromine, latest in chocolate, tea, cola liquids, and another meals. Cacao beans contain some million.2% theobromine by ability of weight, on the same time as processed chocolate often has smaller quantities. the quantity latest in quite subtle chocolate goodies (many times 40-60 milligrams consistent with ounce or a million.4 to 2.a million grams consistent with kilogram) is plenty below that of dark chocolate or unsweetened baker's chocolate (over 4 hundred mg/oz..or 14 g/kg). the quantity of theobromine latest in chocolate is sufficiently small that chocolate could be properly fed on by ability of human beings in super parts, yet animals that metabolize theobromine extra slowly can particularly eat sufficient chocolate to reason chocolate poisoning. the main worry-unfastened victims of theobromine poisoning are canines (for which it is deadly). Cats and incredibly kittens are yet extra gentle, and a brilliant sort of alternative animals are additionally vulnerable. the 1st signs and indications of theobromine poisoning are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and better urination. those can progression to cardiac arrhythmias, epileptic seizures, inner bleeding, heart assaults, and finally dying. Theobromine is incredibly poisonous to horses, canines, parrots, voles, and cats because of fact they're unable to metabolize the chemical efficiently. in the event that they're fed chocolate, the theobromine will proceed to be of their bloodstream for as much as twenty hours. scientific therapy contains inducing vomiting interior of two hours of ingestion, or contacting a veterinarian. a common 20 kg canines will often adventure intestinal misery after eating below 240 g of dark chocolate, yet won't inevitably adventure bradycardia or tachyarrhythmia till it eats a minimum of a nil.5 a kilogram of milk chocolate. in accordance to the Merck Veterinary instruction manual, approximately a million.3 g of baker's chocolate consistent with kilogram of a canines's bodyweight (0.02 oz..lb) is sufficient to reason indications of toxicity. for example, a common 25 gram baker's chocolate bar could be sufficient to convey out indications in a 20 kg canines.

Answer 9

Well chocolate contains theobronimine and then accelerates thue a dogs body and could kill them so dont feed them to much .

Answer 10

I heard it's the caffiene, not the actual chocolate. and maybe it's to gooey or something for them to digest....why not ask a pro, not a bunch of nobody's (not being mean, just joking) off the internet? unless a pro answers ur question.....