Why is chocolate so dangerous if fed to dogs?

Question

I told my friend that we sometimes give our dog a chocolate bor! She nearly had a fit saying it was poison to dogs - why?

Answer 1

The answer is simple and strictly chemical. Chocolate contains theobromine, which is a naturally-occurring molecule found in the cocoa beans, coffee, tea, and cola and is related to caffeine. In the medical field it has been used as a drug to treat high blood pressure because of its ability to dilate blood vessels. Because of its diuretic effect, it is also sometimes used in cases where cardiac failure has resulted in an accumulation of body fluid. What makes it poisonous for dogs and not humans is the fact that dogs are unable to metabolize the chemical effectively. If they are fed chocolate, the theobromine will remain in their bloodstream for up to 20 hours. Theobromine can be dangerous to cats as well but little is ever mentioned about the toxicity most likely because cats have eating habits that are different from dogs and they are less likely to inhale large quantities of chocolate.

Answer 2

It's supposedly dangerous to dogs, but I believe the doses need to be fairly large. I know it can cause diarrhea and an upset stomach...but in larger doses can kill a dog. My dog has gotten into chocolate before and it's never been an issue, but I'm sure if she'd had more it would've been. I keep M&M's in my freezer for myself. Sometime I'll drop a few accidentally when pulling them out, and I'll call my dog in so that she can have the ones that fell. I'm not a chocolate nazi with my dog either, but I'd just say keep the doses really small and only as a little treat fairly rarely. Not on a regular basis.

Answer 3

I know we are told its really bad and dog has eatens so much chocolate in her life and I asked the vet if I should stop it and the small bottle of beer & bag of crisps on a Saturday night and he says she would be no better off as she is 21 in dog years and 147 in ours.
So make your own mind up but if she was a young dog I would not have given it to her now I know what is been said but 21 years ago nothing was said.

Answer 4

I know this is supposed to be true but i have a 12 year old german shepherd and she is a chocolate monster, we dont give her it but every easter we tell the kids to take their eggs to their room so she doesnt get then and she always does she stole a full mega size box of after eights at christmas and even if you put it up high she will find a way of getting it. If there is chocolate in the house and we go out she always finds it and eats it she always has and like i said she is 12 and still going strong

Answer 5

There is a preservative ingrediant in chocolate that is poisones to dogs in any quantatiy some dogs can tolerate it but it can be fatal to others, Dog chocolate doesnt contain this thats why it goes white when air gets to it

Answer 6

There is a chemical in chocolate that is toxic to dogs if eaten in amounts that will affect that particualr sized dog. Baking chocolate is very toxic, choc chips less so. I've fed my dogs M&Ms over the yrs w/o any problems but not in large amounts. Obviosly the smaller the dog the less it takes.

Answer 7

It's only poisonous if you feed them a lot of milk chocolate but just a very small pice is ok. But most of all, Dark Chocolate is the worst for them, because it is so strong and mostly chocolate.

Answer 8

The chemical that the cacao releases causes reactions in the dogs brain. Dark is much worse than milk chocolate, but both should be avoided.

Answer 9

It will make their heart race really fast. Go to peteducation and it will show you a list of food that you should not give a dog and they also have a list for cats also. Chocolate will kill your dog.

Answer 10

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.

White chocolate: 200 ounces per pound of body weight. It takes 250 pounds of white chocolate to cause signs of poisoning in a 20-pound dog, 125 pounds for a 10-pound dog.

Milk chocolate: 1 ounce per pound of body weight. Approximately one pound of milk chocolate is poisonous to a 20-pound dog; one-half pound for a 10-pound dog. The average chocolate bar contains 2 to 3 ounces of milk chocolate. It would take 2-3 candy bars to poison a 10 pound dog. Semi-sweet chocolate has a similar toxic level.

Sweet cocoa: 0.3 ounces per pound of body weight. One-third of a pound of sweet cocoa is toxic to a 20-pound dog; 1/6 pound for a 10-pound dog.

Baking chocolate: 0.1 ounce per pound body weight. Two one-ounce squares of bakers' chocolate is toxic to a 20-pound dog; one ounce for a 10-pound dog.