can choclate kill dogs?

Question

can choclate kill dogs ;(

Answer 1

The problem, according to veterinary experts, is that eating a speck of chocolate leads a dog to crave more. It can mean that your dog will jump at a opportunity to get any type of chocolate, not knowing that certain chocolates are more lethal than other types. Larger amounts of chocolate, particularly of the most toxic type, can bring about epileptic seizures in some dogs, and in all dogs, can kill.

Poisoning of dogs by chocolate is not as uncommon as you might think.

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.

Answer 2

Since you asked the question you must have heard that it can. Ergo you are asking something you already know. Yes it can kill them. Dogs cannot tolerate the theobromine in chocolate and it causes a racing pulse which can lead to collapse and heart failure.
Why would anyone want to give their dog chocolate anyway? Even so called 'doggy chocolate' is full of fat and sugar, will make the dog fat and rot it's teeth? Why would any caring responsible dog owner want to do that to their dog when there are plenty of healthier treats on the market?

Answer 3

Dogs are allergic to the Cocoa found in chocolate. Since White Chocolate doesn't actually contain Cocoa it can be an alternative however some dogs are lactose intolerant so don't start feeding your dog white chocolate just yet. There are safe alternatives that you can find at pet stores!

"Chocolate can be deadly to dogs. A little bit of chocolate, though not good for dogs, won't necessarily kill them. But a pound of chocolate could."

Answer 4

yes it has a chemical in that can kill a dog human choclate should never be given to dogs it makes there heart work to fast and there have been plenty of deaths from this in the world

Answer 5

Yes, first they go into seizures and then they die. The effect of any chocolate you have given the dog or hes gotten in to is, I'm told, cumulative. So be careful. I do know that the darker the chocolate, the worse it can be for the dog. I've even heard of dogs having to have their stomaches pumped after they have ingested alot of chocolate. Not something to mess with.

Answer 6

Speaking from a veterian perspective chocolate has a high percentage of aspectilse which can cause your dog to have seigers or heart attacks while they are asleep. I have witnessed animal lovers bringing in dead dogs to the clinic that tragically never woke up from when they fell sleep after the dog consumed chocolate. In conclusion, never let your dog consume any sort of chocolate or sweats unless your want your dog to suffer over a misunderstood decision.

Answer 7

Chocolate contains theobrimines. Some dogs lack the ability to digest it at all, the others can only digest it very slowly. Plus chocolate contains different amounts. Thats why some dogs can eat it without ill effect.
http://www.k9magazinefree.com/cgi-bin/preview.pl?p=iss1p24
This article describes the problem and symptoms.


http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=cocoa+shell+dogs&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
Cocoa shell is toxic to dogs.

Answer 8

Chocolate can harm dogs the smaller the animal the less chocolate it can handle about 25lb of chocolate is toxic enough to kill a human

Answer 9

YES!!! But it takes quite a bit. If it's just a little, they will probably get sick. Just remember, the darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is.

My Min Pin ate an entire milk chocolate Hershey bar (not by my choosing - she stole it out of a guests purse!) and she didn't even get sick. I was lucky and so was she!

Grapes, raisins and onions are also toxic.

Answer 10

Yes It can. But you need a LOT of it, and i mean a couple of pounds worth in one go.
Small amounts as a treat are fine, not healthy fine, but it wont do any damage.
There are chemicals in chocolate that a dogs brain cant handle and can cause swelling.
Even dog chocolate treats can do this.
It should only be used as an occasional treat.