Does chocolate hurt dogs?

Question

My dog recently ate about 6-8 chocolate chip muffins. I have to add though that these were mini muffins. Will my dog be harmed in any way?

Answer 1

Depends on the size of the dog and whether the chips were milk chocolate or dark chocolate. Call a vet with the info and do what they suggest. You may just have to watch the dog, make her barf or take her in, depending, like I said, on the size of the dog and type of chocolate...

Answer 2

My 20 pound cairn terrier once ate a whole bag of chocolate chip cookies with no ill effects. He was a very mischievous dog and he stole it from my wife's cousin; taking it right out of her suitcase when nobody was looking. He lived to be 16, which is a pretty old age for the breed.

Chocolate does apparently contain something that can be toxic to dogs, so it wouldn't hurt to go to the vet just to be sure.

It has a lot to do with how big the dog is, and how pure the chocolate is. I'd be more concerned if it was big hunks of expensive chocolate. Chocolate chip muffins probably contain very little real chocolate.

It's just my opinion, but I think it's kind of like drugs or alcohol. An adult might be able to tolerate it, but it could be very dangerous to a small child.

Answer 3

It could possibly harm your dog. Yes chocolate is bad for dogs more so than regular human food (which you shouldn't allow them to eat anyways)

It's never a certainty how much chocolate can a dog eat before it shows a reaction or how big/bad the reaction will be if/when ti does occur. The things that affect the level of danger to the dog varies based on the individual dog's health and body (IE some humans are ok with bee stings other will die and others just swell up), their size, the quantity and quality of the chocolate eaten. Richer choclate is worse, like bakers chocolate is worse for dogs than say a MM.

To care for your dog at this time, observe it for the next several hours and if there's nothing wrong..no sweats, fever, vomiting, etc you're oka and so is the dog..if it starts showing signs of illness take to vet ASAP. There is no need to take the dog to the vet unless there are signs of illness, they won't do anything until there are signs.

Answer 4

Chocolate IS dangerous to dogs, here is why:

Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine (it's related to caffeine) which can make a dog get sick or die. Chocolate does not always harm a dog, though- it depends on the type of chocolate, the size of the dog, and the ammount it ate.

The most dangerous chocolate is unsweetened baker's chocolate and powdered cocoa, and the least toxic is white chocolate.

The chance of a dog actually dying is very low, though. It will usually just get a stomach ache. It is still best to keep all chocolate away from your dog, anyways!

Answer 5

It is the theobromine in chocolate that is harmful to dogs. It is only highly concentrated in bakers chocolate and cocoa. The very small amount of chocolate chips that are in mini muffins will not harm your dog. It's not a good idea to feed them any chocolate, but I'm sure in this instance the dog will be fine. My dog one got into an Easter basket and ate a handful of milk chocolate bars. We rushed her to the vet and he assured us she would be fine from the small amount of theobromine that is in milk chocolate. Just keep an eye on the dog and if they start acting like their stomach is upset then take them to the vet, but don't get upset I'm sure they will be fine.

Answer 6

It's not normally the immediate reaction, with chocolate, unless a very small dog gets hold of a lot of dark chocolate (more dangerous then milk choc.), that's the problem. It's the build up of toxins over the years that matters, if a dog is given chocolate regularly. Best not to do what your dad is apparently doing. Many dogs seem to survive - my father in law used to give their old mutt a daily bar of Cadbury's and he seemed to live to a good age. But how much his diet affected his life, we don't know.

Answer 7

Does chocolate hurt dogs?
- Large amounts of pure chocolate can cause very harming effects. Milk chocolate and white chocolate can be harmful, but are not near as bad as dark chocolate.
Your Dog?
- Your dog should be fine. Since it was only mini muffins, no harm should be done. Also, since it wasn't dark chocolate (I'm assuming), your dog should not show any signs of bad health. It might throw up but that should be it. If you notice changes in your dog, you should bring it to your vet. My dog one ate an entire milk chocolate Easter bunny and was fine.


best answer, please?

Answer 8

It is well known that dogs are naturally allergic to chocolate and they can't digest it. However, the effects of eating chocolate are different with each dog. Each dog has a different chocolate tolerance and some can injest it without any negative effects. If your dog starts acting a little funny, maybe sluggish, I would say head to the vets. Otherwise, just be more careful and don't let him get at anymore of it.

Answer 9

Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that is a strong chemical stimulant. In humans, who metabolize the alkaloid quickly, theobromine has been shown to have some beneficial effects including mood elevation, myocardial stimulation, cough surpression, and vasodilation (widening of blood vessels from relaxation of the muscular wall of the vessels).

However animals -- especially cats, dogs, horses, birds, and small pets -- are unable to effectively metabolize theobromine. If they are fed chocolate, theobromine will remain in their bloodstream for up to 20 hours and may cause epileptic seizures, internal bleeding, heart attacks, and even death. Chocolate is such a potent stimulant than it is banned in horse-racing as a performance-enhancing drug.

According to The Merck Veterinary Manual, 8th Edition Online, "clinical signs of toxicity can occur with ingestion of ~0.04 oz (1.3 mg) of baker's chocolate or 0.4 oz (13 mg) of milk chocolate per kilogram of body weight." This means that a one-ounce (28 gram) square of baker's chocolate would cause symtoms in a 50-pound (22 kilogram) dog.

The Merck Veterinary Manual puts a lethal dose (for 50% of the canine population) at 250 and 500 mg of theobromine per kg of body weight but warns that deaths have been reported at dosages as low as 115 mg/kg. Thus were a 45 pound (20 kg) dog to eat 7.5 pounds (3.3 kg) of dark chocolate, it would only have a 50% chance of survival. Granted, that's a lot of chocolate but remember that for some dogs a lethal dose could be only half that amount. Dark chocolate generally contains about 50% more theobromine than milk chocolate.

Answer 10

The toxicity depends on the dosage of chocolate and the weight of the dog. If your dog is very large, chances are it will be OK (or just mildly sick). If we are talking about a small dog, it could be a problem. Check with your vet.