why don't people give chocolates to dog and does it kill them?

Answer 1

It does but not instantly it has to build up. To stir up things please allow me to add that you do not give milk to cats either. Wow! God Bless You and Our Southern People.

Answer 2

Chocolate can be toxic to canines, but mostly in extreme doses (read pounds of chocolate). It's probably best to not ever give a dog chocolate, as the occasional dog can be very sensitive to chocolate and react badly. And you'll never know until after the fact.

However, I have known larger dogs who have gotten into chocolates, eating a pound or more, as well as tiny toy dogs who loved sharing candy bars and other chocolates with not ill effects.

If your dog likes chocolate, and suffers no ill effects from it, a little treat now and then is just fine. However stear clear of letting them anywhere near large doses--particularily for sneaky larger dogs around holiday goodies...

A good vet I trust once told me: the chocolate toxcity issues with canines are very over-stated and unless a dog ate huge amounts of chocolate in one sitting, it would be hard to create toxcity issues with 99% of dogs...

P.S. My 3lb Chihuahua loves chocolate (as most dogs do) and usually gets a few small bites a week...

Answer 3

Dogs don't handle bromoxanthines well. That includes the stuff in chocolate and also caffeine. I had a dog that snitches one of those large bars of dark chocolate from me, and that could have killed him, though he led a charmed life and did fine. Milk chocolate has fewer bromoxanthines and isn't quite so dangerous, at least for medium and large dogs, but is still best avoided.

Answer 4

Chocolate increases their heart rate and can thus cause a heart attack. It can kill them. how harmful chocolate is to a particular dog depends on the size of the dog, its heart health, and the amount of chocolate it eats. A healthy Great Pyrenees eating a Hershey's kiss will be just fine. A Pomeranian eating a whole Hershey's bar probably won't be.

Answer 5

a little does not kill them.
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.

Answer 6

I have always heard that choc. is VERY poisonous to dogs. My dog once ate a kit kat bar when he was very young and I was so afraid that I called the poison control center and spent a good deal of time and money to find out that he was just fine. My vet later told me that chocolate is harmful, but it has to be consumed in a large quantities or frequently. But to be on the safe side, avoid ever giving it to your pet and if it does happen, dont freak out, odds are he will be ok. Just call your vet ASAP to tell them the details and he'll be able to accurately access the situation.

Answer 7

It effects the dogs nervous system. It can be lethal depending on the amount the dog ingests.Thats what the net says.
Ive seen my dog eat chocolate alot of times and never saw it affect him at all. It must take a lot. If anyone has one of those french poodles or some other dog thats absolutely good for nothing try it so we can find out what happens !

Answer 8

Chocolate is bad for dogs, some more than others. My dog has ate chocolate that was left on the table and he was fine but it wasn't alot. Dark chocolate is very bad for dogs, it's the cocoa in it that can kill them.

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

It does have toxic compounds in it (theobromine and caffeine), but it takes a fairly high dosage of milk chocolate to do any harm. If the dog eats bakers, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate they are at a higher risk and they may die from it. It is just best not to give the dog chocolate.

Answer 11

Yes, it absolutely can kill them. The darker the chocolate--ie baking chocolate--the more dangerous. A couple ounces of milk chocolate might make a dog sick, where the same of baking chocolate could kill them.