Clinical signs depend on the amount and type of chocolate ingested. For many dogs, the most common clinical signs are vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, panting or restlessness, excessive urination, and racing heart rate. In severe cases, symptoms can include muscle tremors, seizures, and heart failure.
Chocolate is toxic to dogs and could cause a medical emergency. Signs of chocolate poisoning usually appear within 6 to 12 hours. Knowing how much and what kind of chocolate your dog ate is key.
Threat to pets
For milk chocolate, any ingestion of more than 0.5 ounces per pound of body weight may put dogs at risk for chocolate poisoning. Ingestions of more than 0.13 ounces per pound of dark or semi-sweet chocolate may cause poisoning.
If you know your dog ate some chocolate, you should call your vet. If you don't have a vet or if the vet is closed, you can call the 24/7 Pet Poison helpline at 855-764-7661.
Your dog must be carefully monitored until her symptoms subside, which may take up to seventy-two hours. The ASPCA Poison Control estimates twenty-five percent of dogs with chocolate poisoning recover within two days, however even with treatment, one in one hundred dogs with chocolate poisoning never recover.
Clinical signs of chocolate poisoning in dogs can begin 2-24 hours after ingestion. These can include vomiting, diarrhea, fever, fast breathing, increased heart rate, seizures, hyperactivity, and inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). In severe cases, these can progress to heart failure, coma, and death.
One piece of chocolate should not harm your dog, but multiple pieces can harm your dog. Clinical signs depend on how much and the type of chocolate ingested. Below are common signs to watch out for: Tremors in the muscles and limbs.
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.
While there is no right or wrong answer to this, we know dogs show symptoms of poisoning when they eat 20mg of theobromine (the toxic chemical in chocolate) for every kilogram they weigh. These symptoms become severe at 40 to 50mg per kg.
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.
Vetted Pet Care suggests taking only three percent solution of Hydrogen Peroxide (not the concentrated six percent solution) and putting 1ml for every pound of body weight (so 16 ml for 16 pounds), into food or in a dropper to feed her to induce vomiting.
Symptoms of chocolate poisoning in dogs
The most common signs of toxicity from theobromine are vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, panting or restlessness, excessive urination, and racing heart rate. In severe cases, symptoms can include muscle tremors, seizures, and heart failure.
Dark Chocolate: Use a scale of 1.5 ounces per 10 pounds of body weight. That's 3 ounces for a 20 pound dog. If they've ingested that much or more, it's time to call your vet. Milk Chocolate or Semi-sweet: A poisonous amount would be anything over 3.5 ounces- a standard size Hershey's bar- for a small 10 pound dog.
It is worth mentioning that some poisoning symptoms in dogs will show up right away, whereas others might take a few hours after ingestion before they appear. In case you know that your dog has ingested something that might potentially be toxic or poisonous, you must not wait until any symptoms appear.
It can take up to four days to fully clear the toxins from your dog's system. After receiving appropriate treatment, most dogs do well and recover with no long term problems. Keeping chocolate containing items out of reach of pets is the key to preventing toxicity.
25% of poisoned pets recover within two hours. Of the pets that take longer to recover, many can be treated at home with the advice of your veterinarian or with advice from the ASPCA Poison Control Center (telephone 1-888-426-4435).
Clinical signs of poisoning in a dog may include: Gastrointestinal signs: vomiting, diarrhea, extreme salivation, loss of appetite, and nausea or dry heaving. Internal bleeding: indicated by pale gums, a racing heart, coughing up or vomiting blood, weakness or lethargy, or a dog's falling over or collapsing.
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.
While it's not advisable, a dog can have 0.5 ounces of chocolate for every pound of body weight without running the risk of fatal consequences. Ingestion of more than a pound of your dog's body weight can result in chocolate poisoning.
The chocolate can also be in the form of chocolate biscuits such as Tim Tams, or other foods containing chocolate. If you see your pet eat chocolate, ring us immediately – there is no antidote to chocolate toxicity, so early intensive treatment is essential for survival.
approximately 60 grams of milk chocolate per kg bodyweight. approximately 20 grams of semi-sweet chocolate per kg body weight. approximately 7 grams per kg body weight for baker's chocolate per kg body weight.
Effects of Chocolate Poisoning
If a dog consumes enough theobromine, (see How Much is Enough?), the symptoms of poisoning will occur. Initially, the dog will develop abdominal pain and vomiting which may contain blood.
In general, though, the darker and more bitter the chocolate the greater the danger. For instance, 8 ounces (a ½ pound) of milk chocolate may sicken a 50-pound dog, whereas a dog of the same size can be poisoned by as little as 1 ounce of Baker's chocolate!