2006-09-29 12:35:01 · 22 answers · asked by pismoru500 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Chocolate is poison to dogs. If they ingest enough, it could send them into shock and possibly death. Grapes and onions are also poisonous.
2006-09-29 12:37:25 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Chocolate is toxic to dogs. If the dog sneaks an M&M or a piece of a candy bar, I wouldn't worry to much. Small amounts generally are not lethal; but, they can upset the dogs stomach. This obviously dpends on the size of the dog as well, a 200 lb. St. Bernard will be able to handle more chocolate than a 5 lb. Teacup Poodle. My brother's German Sheppard/Wolf hybrid ate an entire chocolate nativity scene (1 lb.) and only had an upset stomach.
Oh yeah, different types of chocolate can also be more toxic. Darker chocolate or cocoa is more toxic than milk chocolate.
2006-09-29 12:51:17 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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.
2006-09-29 12:44:20 · answer #3 · answered by Icara4ewu 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is the caffeine in chocolate that is bad for animals. The darker the chocolate the more caffeine. So if the happen to eat a little milk chocolate it won't kill them. It will usually make them have diarrhea. But Baker's Chocolate and Dark Chocolate can cause the to start to seizure and die.
2006-09-29 12:48:52 · answer #4 · answered by bcringler 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is toxic depending on the size of the dog. It is best to not let your dog get to any type of chocolate.
2006-09-29 14:30:14 · answer #5 · answered by missy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I found this on talktothevet.com:
We've all heard it, "Don't give your dog chocolate it will kill him". We'll how true is it you're probably wondering. Do I have to rush him to an emergency vet if he ate one of my M&M's?
The truth is chocolate contains theobromine that is toxic to dogs in sufficient quantities. This is a xanthine compound in the same family of caffeine, and theophylline.
Toxic Levels
The good news is that it takes, on average, a fairly large amount of theobromine 100-150 mg/kg to cause a toxic reaction. Although there are variables to consider like the individual sensitivity, animal size and chocolate concentration.
On average,
Milk chocolate contains 44 mg of theobromine per oz.
Semisweet chocolate contains 150mg/oz.
Baker's chocolate 390mg/oz.
Using a dose of 100 mg/kg as the toxic dose it comes out roughly as:
1 ounce per 1 pound of body weight for Milk chocolate
1 ounce per 3 pounds of body weight for Semisweet chocolate
1 ounce per 9 pounds of body weight for Baker's chocolate.
2006-09-29 13:27:45 · answer #6 · answered by Sharingan 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
chocolate is toxic to dogs, it contains a chemical that causes the heart to beat faster, it can also thin the blood and cause the dog to bleed internally
2006-09-29 12:53:26 · answer #7 · answered by Jill B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Chocolate contains and ingredient called theobromine. It acts as a stimulant similar to caffeine. A dog that has "chocolate poisoning" can go into cardiac arrest. Some signs of chocolate poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, excessive urination, a quick heart rate, and rapid breathing.
For more information, check my source links.
2006-09-29 12:44:55 · answer #8 · answered by MagPie 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Small amounts like a chocolate chip will give your dog diarrhea depending on your dog's size, large amounts can kill your dog.
2006-09-29 15:51:58 · answer #9 · answered by Jeff F 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he didn't eat a lot he should be okay.My 5 month old dog(German shepherd/collie mix) ate half of a Hershey chocolate bar and she was okay.
2006-09-29 13:09:50 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
my greyhound ate an entire bag of m&m's ( a big bag ) and nothing happened to him. Keep an eye on him, watch for any change in behavior, any sluggishness, or refusal to eat. It's probably a good idea to take him to the vet just in case, especially if he is a small dog
2006-09-29 12:44:14 · answer #11 · answered by margarita 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋