Emergency vets have confirmed white chocolate is highly unlikely to poison a dog, even if it is labelled as being high in cocoa solids. It's long been known that dark and milk chocolate contains a chemical called
It takes a good amount of white chocolate to cause problems for a dog. Assuming your pup is around 50 pounds, it takes 9 ounces of white chocolate for symptoms to show up. Even so, you shouldn't feed your dog white chocolate!
White chocolate doesn't contain much theobromine or caffeine, which are the toxic substances in chocolate that can be harmful to dogs. It may still contain a trace amount of these chemicals, but the amount is typically very low – so most dogs will have no reactions if they accidentally consume some white chocolate.
White chocolate has significantly lower levels of theobromine, but it can still be dangerous for our dogs to snack on. By comparison, white chocolate only contains 0.25 mg of theobromine per ounce of chocolate…so when compared to milk or dark chocolate, white chocolate is probably the safest bet for pooches.
It can take 6 to 12 hours for symptoms of chocolate poisoning to appear in your dog. So, if you already know your dog's eaten chocolate, don't wait for any of the above symptoms to appear, call your vet. If it's after hours and your veterinarian's clinic is, call a local emergency vet.
If your pet consumed the chocolate less than two hours ago, your veterinarian may induce vomiting and give them several doses of activated charcoal, which works to move the toxins out of the body without being absorbed into the bloodstream.
Seizures are one of the most severe symptoms of extreme chocolate toxicity in dogs. This may only occur when a dog has ingested a large quantity of chocolate, but it can sometimes mean the toxicity will become fatal without veterinary treatment.
If your dog ate chocolate within an hour, get him to vomit. Use 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Mix it 1:1 with water. Use 1 teaspoon per 5 pounds of the dog's body weight.
Some dogs can eat chocolate and then appear perfectly fine. “If a dog ingests chocolate and does not show clinical signs, it's simply because they did not ingest an amount of methylxanthines [the active ingredients in caffeine] high enough to cross the toxic threshold,” says Harris.
The darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more dangerous it is to dogs. Baking chocolate and gourmet dark chocolate are highly concentrated and contain 130-450 mg of theobromine per ounce. Common milk chocolate only contains about 44-58 mg/ounce.
The outlook very much depends on how much chocolate or cocoa powder that the dog has eaten, and how long prior to being seen by the vet that the dog ate it. Experience shows that up to 50% of dogs will die if treatment is delayed until severe, persistent vomiting has developed.
Affected dogs show signs 30 minutes to 4 hours after ingesting the poison. Initially affected dogs become anxious and have an elevated body temperature. Panting is usually seen. Progressively they become worse and staggery.
Treatment is required for dogs who have eaten 3.5g of dark chocolate for every kilogram they weigh and 14g of milk chocolate for every kilogram they weigh.
approximately 60 grams of milk chocolate per kg bodyweight. approximately 20 grams of semi-sweet chocolate per kg body weight.
White chocolate contains only trace amounts of caffeine and theobromine, but is still bad for your cat or dog and should still be avoided.
Give your dog 3% hydrogen peroxide, one to two teaspoons for every ten pounds of weight. You can squirt this solution to the back of your dog's tongue using a turkey baster, eye dropper or needless syringe. The taste and foam with prompt vomiting within five to ten minutes after administration.
In terms of chocolate toxicity in dogs, it's a matter of size not breed. All dogs can be affected, but the smaller your dog is the more susceptible they are to becoming poisoned. It isn't going to take much chocolate to make breeds like Chihuahuas, Yorkies and Maltese severely sick.
There is no antidote to Theobromine. In most cases of chocolate poisoning, your vet will initially make your dog vomit, wash out their stomach and then feed them activated charcoal to absorb any Theobromine left in the intestine.
Make sure your pet gets plenty of fluids: Both of these steps will dehydrate your dog, so make sure they drink tons of water. The more water they drink the faster they will expel the poison.
Can dogs eat white chocolate? This is not a risk to your dog because it contains a very low level of the chemical which causes the toxic effects, and therefore treatment is not required. But, it's still very fatty and full of sugar, so is not a good treat for your pet and may lead to other problems like pancreatitis.
No. Milk is unlikely to be helpful in the vast majority of poisoning situations and can sometimes make things worse. Most pets are lactose intolerant and giving milk can cause or worsen stomach upset symptoms.
If you know your dog has consumed chocolate, call your vet and get your dog treated as soon as possible. The first step is to induce vomiting and give multiple doses of activated charcoal to decontaminate. If needed, your pet will be given IV fluids, and sedatives may be given to keep your pet calm.
Chocolate contains a compound called theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. Theobromine can cause vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, seizures, and even death in dogs. Milk does not contain any theobromine-neutralizing properties, so it will not prevent your dog from getting sick if they consume chocolate.
Most veterinarians will induce vomiting in addition to administering activated charcoal to absorb undigested theobromine in the gastrointestinal tract. Dogs with chocolate toxicity may be hospitalized to ensure all theobromine is purged from the system.