Does chocolate really cause dogs to get worms?

Answer 1

Chocolate does not cause dogs to get worms. Dogs get worms by eating an infected item such as infected meat or the stools of another animal with worms.

Chocolate however is TOXIC to dogs in certain quantities. It can cause liver and kidney damage and it is very irresponsible to feed it to any animal. Even large dogs can be affected by a little chocolate. Even if you see no immediate damage- your dog's liver and kidneys have had to process a chemical that is toxic to them so damage is done and your pet's life expectancy can be shortened.

Answer 2

I don't know about worms but.....

Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic.

When affected by an overdose of chocolate, a dog can become excited and hyperactive. Due to the diuretic effect, it may pass large volumes of urine and it will be unusually thirsty. Vomiting and diarrhoea are also common. The effect of theobromine on the heart is the most dangerous effect. Theobromine will either increase the dog’s heart rate or may cause the heart to beat irregularly. Death is quite possible, especially with exercise.

After their pet has eaten a large quantity of chocolate, many pet owners assume their pet is unaffected. However, the signs of sickness may not be seen for several hours, with death following within twenty-four hours.

Cocoa powder and cooking chocolate are the most toxic forms. A 10-kilogram dog can be seriously affected if it eats a quarter of a 250gm packet of cocoa powder or half of a 250gm block of cooking chocolate. These forms of chocolate contain ten times more theobromine than milk chocolate. Thus, a chocolate mud cake could be a real health risk for a small dog. Even licking a substantial part of the chocolate icing from a cake can make a dog unwell.

Semi-sweet chocolate and dark chocolate are the next most dangerous forms, with milk chocolate being the least dangerous. A dog needs to eat more than a 250gm block of milk chocolate to be affected. Obviously, the smaller the dog, the less it needs to eat.

Answer 3

Think about what you are asking: if a food, that humans consume almost every day, can actually give an animal worms. Does that make any sense to you? Wouldn't that have to mean that there are parasites or parasite eggs in the chocolate that we ingest?? Do you think that's possible? No way - chocolate does not give dogs worms. But it is toxic and should be avoided. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is. Now, if your dog eats a Hershey's Kiss, don't go running to the vet. Even if your dog is very small. But larger quantities, play it safe and go to the vet.

Answer 4

Chocolate does not cause dogs to get worms. Dogs can generally get four types of worms:
Heartworms; hookworms;tapeworks;roundworms.

Heartworms are spread by mosquito bites. That is why vets recommend a monthly heartworm preventative.

Tapeworms are acquired by dogs who have fleas. When the dog eats the flea, usually from biting themselves due to an itch, the flea ingested causes the dog to get worms.
Roundworms are acquired hrough dog feces, infected soil (eggs of roundworms)- it can pose a serious health hazard.
Hookworms can be acquired through the skin, human or dog, if the environment the person/dog is in happens to be infected with hookworm.

Hookworm, tapeworm and roundworm can be treated with oral medications called wormers. There are different wormers available, sometimes depending on the type of worm your animal has.

Hope this answers your question about how dogs get worms. Chocolate will not give your dog worms, however, it can kill your dog, so always keep chocolate out of your dogs reach. I keep mine in the fridge.

Answer 5

Not sure why you'd want to but chocolate isn't good for dogs at all as it contains theobromine which affects the dog's central nervous system and heart. Don't think gummy worms would do any harm - except make the dog go hyper because of the sugar.

Answer 6

No i don't think that Chocolate can cause a dog to get worms. However if your dog hunts and eats small animals like moles, squirrels, and other small animals than your dog could get worms and other infections. they can get worms by eating other animals poop if it is infested with worms. But chocolate can make you dog really sick or it can die if it ate a large amount. Dogs and other Animals are born with worms. so you should got to the vet and get it dewormed.

Answer 7

No, unless the chocolate has had worm eggs laid in it. Even then, the stomach acid will probably take care of the problem.

Too much chocolate is bad for dogs.

Answer 8

Where in the world did you hear that??? NO! Chocolate can cause a dog to become sick and in small dogs can cause death. Eating chocolate has nothing to do with having intestinal parasites. Contact your vet if you think your dog has ingested chocolate or has intestinal parasites

Answer 9

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.

So, for example, 2 oz. of Baker's chocolate can cause great risk to an 15 lb. dog. Yet, 2 oz. of Milk chocolate usually will only cause digestive problems.

Clinical Signs

Xanthines affect the nervous system, cardiovascular system and peripheral nerves. It has a diuretic effect as well. Clinical signs:

Hyper excitability
Hyper irritability
Increased heart rate
Restlessness
Increased urination
Muscle tremors
Vomiting
Diarrhea

Treatment

There is no specific antidote for this poisoning. And the half life of the toxin is 17.5 hours in dogs. Induce vomiting in the first 1-2 hours if the quantity is unknown. Administering activated charcoal may inhibit absorption of the toxin. An anticonvulsant might be indicated if neurological signs are present and needs to be controlled. Oxygen therapy, intravenous medications, and fluids might be needed to protect the heart.

Milk chocolate will often cause diarrhea 12-24 hours after ingestion. This should be treated symptomatically (fluids, etc..) to prevent dehydration.

If you suspect your pet has ingested chocolate contact your Vet immediately! They can help you determine the the proper treatment for your pet.

Answer 10

nah it doesn't cause worms at all!. chocolate has theobromine in it and dogs can't absorb it very well....it causes everything from diahroea through to epileptic fits and can eventually even kill the poor things!