Chocolate Toxicity Calculator for Dogs
How Much Chocolate Will Hurt Your Dog?
Chocolate is definitely not a dog-safe treat. It contains chemicals called methylxanthines that are harmless to humans but deadly dangerous for our beloved pets.
Use our chocolate toxicity calculator for dogs below to work out how much methylxanthines they have ingested, what symptoms you can expect to see your dog exhibit, and if a visit to the vet is needed.
Disclosure: YdoWeLovePets assumes no liability for the content of this page. This calculator should not be used as a substitute for specific veterinary advice and is only intended as a guide. Please contact a vet or a Pet Poison Hotline if you are concerned about your pet’s health.
Why Is Chocolate Bad For Dogs?
Chocolate contains chemicals called methylxanthines, specifically theobromine and caffeine. Humans metabolize methylxanthines easily, but dogs don’t, due to their different metabolism mechanisms.
These chemicals are stimulants that can lead to cardiovascular and neurological stimulation in dogs. It can cause rapid breathing and feelings of restlessness. It’s very similar to a person taking too much caffeine.
Signs and Symptoms of Chocolate Poisoning in Dogs
Chocolate poisoning in dogs has clear clinical signs. The signs depend on the severity and range from agitation and hyperactivity, vomiting and diarrhea, to cardiac signs including racing heart rate, high blood pressure, to neurologic signs, including tremors, twitching, and even seizures. Use our dog chocolate toxicity calculator to determine what symptoms you can expect to see your dog exhibit, based on your dog size, the chocolate type and amount your dog ingested.
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What to Do if Your Dog Eats Chocolate
Urgent treatment may be needed if your dog has eaten chocolate; It is strongly recommended to contact a Pet Poison Helpline or your veterinarian immediately. Take note of your dog’s weight, the type of chocolate and how much chocolate they’ve eaten, and when they ate it. Doing so will allow these veterinary professionals to determine if the dog ingested a toxic dose of chocolate and, depending on how long it’s been since ingestion and the dose ingested, may be able to offer suggestions for at-home care.
Unfortunately, many dogs ingest chocolate around celebratory holidays like Christmas or Easter (in 2023, cases of chocolate poisoning increased by 337% over the Easter season). This means that your regular vet might not be open. That’s just one reason why 24/7 telehealth visits for pets are such an ideal option.
An at-home care option for chocolate poisoning might be to induce vomiting, give multiple doses of activated charcoal to decontaminate (Administer one to five grams of activated charcoal for each kilogram of weight of your dog), and sedatives to calm the dog.
A note of caution – if you induce vomiting at home, make sure to remove the dog from the vomit or immediately pick it up. I’ve had many dogs ingest their own vomit and be back at the same point in which they started!
No matter what, contact your vet as quickly as possible after your dog eats chocolate. The length of time since the incident and other factors that could make inducing vomiting dangerous may require an immediate visit to the vet.
Remember, with any poisoning, it’s always cheaper, less invasive, and has a better prognosis/outcome if you treat early. Once your dog has already developed clinical signs and is affected by the poison, it makes for a much more expensive veterinary visit!
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Disclosure: YdoWeLovePets assumes no liability for the content of this page. This calculator should not be used as a substitute for specific veterinary advice and is only intended as a guide. Please contact a vet or a Pet Poison Hotline if you are concerned about your pet’s health.
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