My dog ate some of my kids Christmas candy which was chocolate. I heard that was harmful to dogs.?

Question

Can anyone tell what signs I should look for? She seems to be doing ok and does not appear sick.

Answer 1

The good news is that it takes, on average, a fairly large amount of theobromine, 100-150 mg per pound of your animal, to cause a toxic reaction. Although there are variables to consider like the individual sensitivity, animal size and chocolate concentration.



White chocolate contains 1 mg per ounce of theobromine. The toxic dose is 200 ounces of white chocolate per pound of body weight. For example 250 pounds of white chocolate will cause signs of nervous system poisoning in a 20-pound dog, 125 pounds in a 10-pound dog.



Milk chocolate contains 60 mg per ounce of theobromine. The toxic dose is one ounce of milk chocolate per pound of body weight. For example one pound of milk chocolate is poisonous to the nervous system of a 20-pound dog; one-half pound in a 10-pound dog. Keep in mind that the average chocolate bar contains two to three ounces of milk chocolate. It would take two to three candy bars to produce toxicity in a 10-pound dog.



Semisweet chocolate contains 150mg per ounce of chocolate. The toxic dose is 0.3 ounces of semisweet chocolate per pound of body weight. One-third of a pound of sweet chocolate is toxic to a 20-pound dog; 1/6 of pound for a 10-pound dog.



Baking chocolate contains 450 mg per ounce of theobromine. The toxic dose is 0.1 ounces of baking chocolate per pound of body weight. Two one-ounce squares of bakers chocolate is toxic to a 20-pound dog; one ounce for a 10-pound dog.



It would seem that it is all right to let your dog have a chocolate treat every now and then if it is the right kind and it is not very often.



The problem with feeding a dog chocolate as a treat is that it develops a liking for chocolate. Since dogs do not seem to be as sensitive to bitter tastes as humans, they may then eat the more toxic baker's chocolate or they may consume a toxic amount of milk or semi-sweet chocolate if it can get into an improperly stored supply.



What are the signs of toxicity?

Signs are most commonly seen within 12 hours (or less) of chocolate ingestion.



* Excitement / nervousness / trembling

* Vomiting / diarrhea

* Excessive thirst / sometimes excessive urination.

* Muscle spasms

* Seizures

* Coma (rare)

* Death (rare) -- likely due to heart rhythm abnormalities.



How is chocolate toxicity treated?

If you suspect that your pet has eaten chocolate (more than the stray chocolate chip that fell on the floor), call your veterinarian for advice.



The toxicity of theobromine is dose dependent. This means that the size of your pet, the type of chocolate, and quantity of chocolate determine if or how toxic it is for your pet.



There is no specific antidote for theobromine toxicity. Medical treatments are supportive, and may include all or some of the following:



* IV fluids - to prevent dehydration from vomiting, diarrhea, and /or increased urination, and to "flush" the theobromine out of the system.



* Emetics - medications that induce vomiting. Used when the ingestion of chocolate is within four hours. Up to eight hours post chocolate ingestion may be effective.



* Activated charcoal - for ingestion greater than four hours prior to treatment, or for patients that show continued signs of toxicity.



* Anti-seizure medications - for patients having seizures and/or muscle tremors.



* Cardiac medications - for patients exhibiting irregular heart rates or rhythms.



What is the prognosis for chocolate toxicosis?

The expected course of chocolate toxicosis is 12 to 36 hours depending on the dosage and effectiveness of treatment. Prognosis is good if the chocolate is removed within two to four hours of ingestion. Prognosis is guarded in animals with advanced signs such as seizures and serious heart dysfunction.



A National Animal Poison Control Center Hotline is available at 1-800-548-2423.



There is a modest fee for the service to support the Animal Poison Control Center.

Answer 2

Dark chocolate, like cooking chocolate is the one that is most dangerous and they need to eat quite a bit of it to do real hard. Most of our chocolates, has very little chocolate but mostly milk, wax, sugar and other flavors. So she is probably OK

Call you vet and tell them how much she ate and what she ate. My Fifi, used to love MMs and at that time (years ago) it was not well known that chocolate was bad. She put away a lots of them and never got sick and lived to be 17 years old.

Chocolate, dark and pure can damage their liver. So it is important that that be restricted.

Answer 3

It's not that big of a deal. My dog ate chocolate many times. If it's just a piece or two, no need to worry. But if the dog went overboard and ate the bag you may see your dog having an allergic reaction to it due to the dairy content in chocolate (esp. milk chocolate). You may notice your dogs allergies starting up, puffy eyes, runny nose, etc... The vet can give your dog an allergy shot, the cost of the shot is $15ish.

Answer 4

No Because I Gave My Pomeranian A Chocolate Chip Cookie And Enjoyed it!

Answer 5

Chocolate is very toxic to dogs. You should call your vet (even emergency #) tell him your dogs size and how much it ate. If it was a small amount it should be o.k. Better safe than sorry. Good luck!

Answer 6

chocolate for dogs is like cocain 4 people.....dogs get addicted ........sometimes they can get worms...acording to mi mom i dont know bout that one but dont worry bout it because if the dog doesnt feel well he'll eat grass and throw up or just throw up on his/her own. but to be safe always take your pet to the vet for check ups or if they have unusual behaver.


my dogs eats chocolate sometimes as a treat or if they still it from me. none of mi animals have never gotten sick on me for eating it.

Answer 7

It's very dangerous. Especially if she ate a lot of it. I would get her to the vet.
When I was little, I gave one of my old dog's a few licks of chocolate ice cream (without knowing) he threw up.
I can imagine if your dog ate a lot of chocolate. She's obviously sick. Get her to the vet and good luck.

Answer 8

Extremely dangerous depening on the amount and what size your dog is. Call the vet and ask for their advice asap!

Answer 9

It depends on how much she ate and how big she is. Safest thing is to pour some hydrogen peroxide down her throat and have her vomit it up. Then watch for lethargy, shaking, vomiting, diarrhea, or anything unusually. If she acts sick call the vet asap.

Answer 10

yes it is that could kill it

also with raisins grapes and peanits