Why chocolate poisons dogs and how to treat chocolate dog
poisoning
While the pathetic begging look that goes across the face of a
dog wanting chocolate can weaken the most stoic dog owner, stay firm.
Do not give in. Ever.
Once dogs have tasted chocolate, they want more.
And for dogs, that's a bad thing.
You might disagree, thinking back to a time when you noticed a
dog enjoying a tidbit of chocolate with no deleterious effect.
Don't be fooled.
The problem, according to veterinary experts, is that eating a
speck of chocolate leads a dog to crave more. It can mean that your dog will jump at a opportunity to get any type of chocolate, not knowing that certain chocolates are more lethal than other types.
Larger amounts of chocolate, particularly of the most
toxic type, can bring about epileptic seizures in some dogs, and
in all dogs, can kill.
Poisoning of dogs by chocolate is not as uncommon as you might
think.
"Chocolate ingestions are one common reason why pet owners and
veterinarians call us," said Dana Farbman, Certified Veterinary Technician and Manager, Client and Professional Relations, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
"However, it would be difficult to verify an exact ranking in frequency of calls, as the types of substances we receive calls on can vary greatly depending on many factors, including the time of year. We generally do experience somewhat of a rise in chocolate calls around holidays, such as Halloween, Easter, Christmas, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.
Why is Chocolate Lethal?
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.
Symptoms of Chocolate Dog Ingestion and Poisoning
You can recognize that your dog has eaten a toxic dose of
chocolate from the symptoms. Within the first few hours, the evidence
includes vomiting, diarrhea or hyperactivity. As time passes and
there's increased absorption of the toxic substance, you'll see an
increase in the dog's heart rate, which can cause arrhythmia, restlessness, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, increased
urination or excessive panting.
This can lead to hyperthermia, muscle tremors, seizures, coma and
Yes it is! From my experiance a very small amount will not hurt any size dog (I have a chihuahua and a black lab/border collie mix) BUT if the dog eats to much it WILL kill him/her! If you think your dog has consumed to much or even any without your knowlage take him/her to your local vet immediatly and have him/her examined(tell the vet you think he/she got into some chocolate)
Some facts..
The lethal dosage of theobromine in dogs is between 250 and 500 mgs/kg, or about 2/3 to 1 1/3 of baking chocolate for every 2.2 pounds of body weight. However, serious non-fatal poisonings have been reported in dogs after eating smaller amounts.
The the first signs of chocolate poisoning are vomiting and diarrhea, increased urination and nausea. These can progress to cardiac arrhythmias and seizures.
If your dog eats potentially dangerous amounts of chocolate and you can get the pet to your vet within two hours, vomiting can be induced to remove the poison. If longer than two hours has passed, the animal may need to be seen and treated.
It is toxic. Some dogs are less sensitive to it, and bigger dogs can handle more. It isn't an allergy. Milk chocolate has less cocoa and less of the toxic substance so it can take a lot of milk chocolate to make some dogs sick, but dark chocolate is more dangerous and bakers chocolate even worse. There is no point to give chocolate. It is fatty and sugary, and it just puts unnecessary stress on the liver even if the dog isn't sick. There are much better options for treats!!
Yes, chocolate is definitely poisonous to dogs. One plate of dark chocolate can easily kill a small dog. Dark chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate. However, do not feed your dogs any chocolate at all, milk or dark, not even in small doses, as you wouldn't want the dog hungry for more. If your dog does eat chocolate, contact your vet immediately.
These foods are also dangerous or deadly to cats and dogs: coffee, cocoa, tea and tea bags, Macadamia Nuts (don't feed dogs a lot of nuts at all. Organic peanut butter is ok though.), Animal fat and fried foods, tomatoes and tomato plants, avocado, nutmeg, Apples, Cherries, Peaches and similar fruit, raw eggs, bones, tuna, large amounts of salt, garlic and unions (raw, dehydrated, cooked, fried, powdered.. all types), mushrooms, grapes, raisins, sugar free candies (with xylitol) and raw salmon. Never feed a cat or dog any of these foods. If a cat or dog eats it by accident, contact your vet as soon as possible.
Onion poisoning can happen with one ingestion of large quantities or with repeated meals containing small amounts of onion, and it'll take a few days before the dog starts showing symptoms.
Also be aware that alcohol (obviously), Febreze, lead, cleaners and household chemicals can be poisonous to dogs.
I know it's a long list, but I think it's very important to be aware of it, it may save your pet's life :)
Yes. I think every dog owner should know by now that giving chocolate to a dog is dangerous, highly toxicated and poisonous. It can give them heart worms among other things, so no matter how much your "best friend" begs, DON'T give them any chocolate whatsoever.
well i dont know about poisonous my dog and cats both have gotten in to chocolate a time or two. but it will close their esophagus and then acid will back up this in turn could do some major damage
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
Eating chocolate killed my pug. It destroyed his liver and pancreas, caused a seizure disorder, and eventually killed him...Is it poisonous? Yes
Chocolate Poisoning in Dogs
Taken from:http://www.dogownersdigest.com/news/library/chocol...
Why chocolate poisons dogs and how to treat chocolate dog
poisoning
While the pathetic begging look that goes across the face of a
dog wanting chocolate can weaken the most stoic dog owner, stay firm.
Do not give in. Ever.
Once dogs have tasted chocolate, they want more.
And for dogs, that's a bad thing.
You might disagree, thinking back to a time when you noticed a
dog enjoying a tidbit of chocolate with no deleterious effect.
Don't be fooled.
The problem, according to veterinary experts, is that eating a
speck of chocolate leads a dog to crave more. It can mean that your dog will jump at a opportunity to get any type of chocolate, not knowing that certain chocolates are more lethal than other types.
Larger amounts of chocolate, particularly of the most
toxic type, can bring about epileptic seizures in some dogs, and
in all dogs, can kill.
Poisoning of dogs by chocolate is not as uncommon as you might
think.
"Chocolate ingestions are one common reason why pet owners and
veterinarians call us," said Dana Farbman, Certified Veterinary Technician and Manager, Client and Professional Relations, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
"However, it would be difficult to verify an exact ranking in frequency of calls, as the types of substances we receive calls on can vary greatly depending on many factors, including the time of year. We generally do experience somewhat of a rise in chocolate calls around holidays, such as Halloween, Easter, Christmas, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.
Why is Chocolate Lethal?
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.
Symptoms of Chocolate Dog Ingestion and Poisoning
You can recognize that your dog has eaten a toxic dose of
chocolate from the symptoms. Within the first few hours, the evidence
includes vomiting, diarrhea or hyperactivity. As time passes and
there's increased absorption of the toxic substance, you'll see an
increase in the dog's heart rate, which can cause arrhythmia, restlessness, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, increased
urination or excessive panting.
This can lead to hyperthermia, muscle tremors, seizures, coma and
even death.
Is Chocolate Poisonous To Dogs
Yes it is! From my experiance a very small amount will not hurt any size dog (I have a chihuahua and a black lab/border collie mix) BUT if the dog eats to much it WILL kill him/her! If you think your dog has consumed to much or even any without your knowlage take him/her to your local vet immediatly and have him/her examined(tell the vet you think he/she got into some chocolate)
Some facts..
The lethal dosage of theobromine in dogs is between 250 and 500 mgs/kg, or about 2/3 to 1 1/3 of baking chocolate for every 2.2 pounds of body weight. However, serious non-fatal poisonings have been reported in dogs after eating smaller amounts.
The the first signs of chocolate poisoning are vomiting and diarrhea, increased urination and nausea. These can progress to cardiac arrhythmias and seizures.
If your dog eats potentially dangerous amounts of chocolate and you can get the pet to your vet within two hours, vomiting can be induced to remove the poison. If longer than two hours has passed, the animal may need to be seen and treated.
It is toxic. Some dogs are less sensitive to it, and bigger dogs can handle more. It isn't an allergy. Milk chocolate has less cocoa and less of the toxic substance so it can take a lot of milk chocolate to make some dogs sick, but dark chocolate is more dangerous and bakers chocolate even worse. There is no point to give chocolate. It is fatty and sugary, and it just puts unnecessary stress on the liver even if the dog isn't sick. There are much better options for treats!!
Yes, chocolate is definitely poisonous to dogs. One plate of dark chocolate can easily kill a small dog. Dark chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate. However, do not feed your dogs any chocolate at all, milk or dark, not even in small doses, as you wouldn't want the dog hungry for more. If your dog does eat chocolate, contact your vet immediately.
These foods are also dangerous or deadly to cats and dogs: coffee, cocoa, tea and tea bags, Macadamia Nuts (don't feed dogs a lot of nuts at all. Organic peanut butter is ok though.), Animal fat and fried foods, tomatoes and tomato plants, avocado, nutmeg, Apples, Cherries, Peaches and similar fruit, raw eggs, bones, tuna, large amounts of salt, garlic and unions (raw, dehydrated, cooked, fried, powdered.. all types), mushrooms, grapes, raisins, sugar free candies (with xylitol) and raw salmon. Never feed a cat or dog any of these foods. If a cat or dog eats it by accident, contact your vet as soon as possible.
Onion poisoning can happen with one ingestion of large quantities or with repeated meals containing small amounts of onion, and it'll take a few days before the dog starts showing symptoms.
Also be aware that alcohol (obviously), Febreze, lead, cleaners and household chemicals can be poisonous to dogs.
I know it's a long list, but I think it's very important to be aware of it, it may save your pet's life :)
Yes. I think every dog owner should know by now that giving chocolate to a dog is dangerous, highly toxicated and poisonous. It can give them heart worms among other things, so no matter how much your "best friend" begs, DON'T give them any chocolate whatsoever.
It isnt poisonous but too much can be very bad. also you should never really give a dog chocolate anyways!!
well i dont know about poisonous my dog and cats both have gotten in to chocolate a time or two. but it will close their esophagus and then acid will back up this in turn could do some major damage
The fatal amount varies depending on the size of your breed, but it is definitely toxic. A couple of Ounces per every 20 Lbs will do the dog in.
its not poisonous, but still very harmful if a dog eats too much