is it true that if dogs eat chocolate they eventually go blind?

Answer 1

I have never heard of chocolate causing blindness. But chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. Chocolate can KILL your dog

100-150 mg of theobromine is considered a toxic level.

Milk chocolate contains 44 mg/oz; Semi Sweet 150mg/oz and Baker's or pure chocolate contains 300 mg/oz.

Symptoms include;

Hyper excitability, irratabity, increased heart rate, increased urination, muscle tremors, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Badgirls is half right about the cat food. Cat food has an additional enzyme which dogs cannot process and it puts an additional strain on their kidneys.. However if cats don't get this enzyme, cats can lose their eyesight.

Answer 2

Feeding pets food that we enjoy is not only wrong, it can also be fatal. There are some foodstuffs that humans relish which cause illness and death if eaten by pets.

Chocolate, macadamia nuts and onions are good examples. Each of these foods contains chemicals which rarely cause problems for humans, but for dogs, these same chemicals can be deadly.
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 diarrhea 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

Not sure if that's true or not, but just 6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate can kill a 20 pound dog, 30 ounces or slightly less then 2 pounds will kill a 100 pound dog. It's that toxic to them. Also so are grapes and raisins, molds from food in your trash can, onion s in any form (raw, cooked, powdered or foods with onion flavorings) and many more items, not just foods. I found this site with a lot of the foods, medicines, plants, and other items that are toxic to a dog. Please read the 6 pages and print them out for your dogs safety. It said that 1-3 zinc pennies, those minted after 1982, can poison a dog and possibly cause a fatal blood disorder. Pass the information on the site to all your friends, especially those with dogs.

Answer 4

My girlfriends dog (a crazy mix breed) has eaten full chunks of chocolate on many occasions, including chocolate pop-tarts (don't ask why). However the dog is completely fine and has lived to be 14 years old. So it is possible for them to not get sick and die. She never got sick on any occasion of eating chocolate.

Answer 5

Chocolate is indeed toxic to dogs (it can kill them in big quantities) and any sweet, including chocolate, will eventually give them diabetes, which is a cause for blindness.

Answer 6

Hello, I worked in a large Vets office in Beverly Hills CA and I have never heard this one before. But if a dog is allergic it can kill them very fast. I have a chi that gets diarrhea from chocolate and the other chi is fine with it. One of the most visits to the vets office is after a holiday where turkey is served and the dogs given the bones. It can get stuck in their throat and kill them. But toys can get stuck in their throats too. You have to know your pet and know what they can handle.

Answer 7

Possibly, dark chocolate is bad for dogs, so if it doesn't kill the dog, it's possible that they go blind, or a number of other health problems could arise. I would suspect kidney / liver problems first tho.

Answer 8

no they will not go blind we will have a hard time digesting the chocolate which could lead to serious stomach pains hope this helps

Answer 9

No dogs are allergic to cocoa. I have known a few that can tolerate it, but as a rule most would get very sick.

Answer 10

Worse, they die--- they cannot digest chocolate and it will kill them if ingested in enough quantity within 24 hours- it happened to our friends irish setter.........no animal can eat chocolate- not birds, not reptiles not cats..............