Responsible dog owners want to stay on top of potential dangers in their home and one unassuming hazard for your pooch is maybe one of your personal faves: chocolate. No matter if you crave chocolate or only have it around when it's given to you as a gift, this sweet confection can quickly become an enticing snack for the pets in your family—and a toxic danger.
It’s very important to keep in mind just how toxic chocolate can be to dogs. Although chocolate toxicity may not always prove fatal to dogs or cats, it can be very dangerous and may cause lasting health problems as well. Read through the information below to find out more about what to look out for chocolate toxicity in dogs.
Why is Chocolate Toxic in Dogs?
Chocolate is toxic to dogs for two reasons:
1. Dogs Can’t Have Caffeine
The first of these is the caffeine content present in chocolate. All types of chocolate contain at least some caffeine, although some are more caffeinated than others. The presence of caffeine can cause your dog’s heart to race too quickly and may cause serious health problems as a result. This is the same reason why dogs should not be allowed to ingest coffee.
2. Theobromine is Dangerous for Dogs
The other cause of toxicity in dogs from chocolate is theobromine. This chemical functions a lot like caffeine does, and it can work as a diuretic. This may cause your dog to become dehydrated very quickly, which may lead to additional problems.
It’s important to remember that the more bitter a chocolate tastes, the more toxic it is. This means that dark baking chocolate is extremely toxic, while white chocolate is not as potentially dangerous. However, all types of chocolate can be toxic and harmful to dogs and other pets, so do not feed your dog any chocolate even if you think it is not too bitter.
Signs of Chocolate Toxicity in Dogs
Now that you understand why chocolate is dangerous for dogs, it’s important to be able to identify when your pet may be suffering from this poisoning.
Signs of chocolate toxicity in dogs include:
Vomiting and Diarrhea from Chocolate
These two problems are the earliest signs of chocolate toxicity in dogs. In light cases, dogs may simply vomit or have diarrhea a few times and then feel better.
However, in severe cases, these symptoms may progress further to the others on the list below.
Chocolate Toxicity Can Show Up as Excessive Thirst and Urination
Since both theobromine and caffeine are diuretics, dogs may show both excessive thirst and urination when they have ingested too much of either of these substances.
Restlessness in Dogs May Be Due to Chocolate Toxicity
Caffeine, in particular, may cause dogs to behave restlessly. Darker chocolates with higher caffeine contents may lead to this symptom even without the dog ingesting very much of it.
High Heart Rate in Dogs After Eating Chocolate
An elevated heart rate is a dangerous symptom that could lead to cardiac arrest, especially in older dogs or those with underlying conditions. It can be difficult to monitor your pet’s heart rate at home, so it may be advised to take him to the emergency vet right away for monitoring and/or treatment.
Dog Seizures? Check if They Ate Chocolate
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.
Take your dog to the vet right away if he shows this symptom after eating chocolate.
How to Respond to Signs of Chocolate Toxicity in Dogs
Depending on the symptoms you notice in your dog after he eats chocolate, you may need to respond in different ways.
Contact Your Closest VEG Animal Hospital ASAP
If you know your pet has ingested chocolate, please contact your VEG emergency vet right away. Clinical signs and problems are dose dependent and can vary widely based on the size of your pet and the type of chocolate ingested. Sometimes the veterinarian can get your pet to vomit the chocolate up to eliminate or lessen the likelihood of seeing clinical signs.
Do not wait for signs to develop to contact a VEG veterinarian, as once signs are seen, treatment becomes much more difficult.
Go to Your Local VEG Emergency Vet
If your pet shows any of the symptoms on this list and you know they have ingested chocolate, please take them to VEG emergency animal ER as soon as possible. Excessive thirst and urination may lead to dehydration quickly, which can be extremely dangerous to dogs.
The sooner you respond to your dog’s concerning symptoms, the more likely it will be that your dog can recover completely from the situation. VEG animal hospitals are open 24 hours, so no matter what time you find your dog ate chocolate, you can bring them in, and you never need an appointment at VEG ER for Pets.
How to Prevent Chocolate Toxicity in Dogs
There are several ways you can make your home safer for your dog and prevent chocolate toxicity:
Better Storage of Chocolate Around Pets
If you have chocolate of any kind in your home, you always need to be mindful of how you’re storing it and how likely it is that your pet might try to get to it. Whether you have brownies, cookies, bars of milk chocolate, or cocoa powder in your kitchen and/or pantry, they should always be stored in a secure place your pet can’t reach or get into.
Keep cabinets and pantry doors shut whenever possible and don’t leave chocolate treats or wrappers sitting around.
Training Your Dog to Keep Away from Chocolate
It’s also important to train your pet the “leave it” command to prevent them from grabbing things they shouldn’t, be they edible or inedible. Instilling good habits and obedience in your dog from an early age can save you (and them) lots of trouble later on!
Educate Friends and Family About a Dog's Chocolate Toxicity
Kids are notorious for giving handouts to pets. Teach them not to give your dog any chocolate or other sweets, and get them into the habit of storing things in their proper place.
Make sure they also get into the habit of keeping cabinets, drawers, and the fridge closed securely right after use.
Avoid Using Cocoa Shell Mulch if You Own a Dog
A rare but nonetheless dangerous source of chocolate toxicity in dogs is cocoa shell mulch. Often used as a top cover for gardens, its sweet aroma can be attractive to dogs and result in them ingesting some of the mulch, which can cause illness.
Always avoid using cocoa shell mulch for your landscaping.
Call a VEG Emergency Vet if Your Dog Has Signs of Chocolate Toxicity
With the help of this information, you should be able to keep your pets safer at Valentine’s Day as well as any time of the year when you have chocolate around. Pay close attention to any pets in your household and keep chocolate stored safely out of their reach. By doing this, you can prevent this potentially dangerous problem from occurring at all.
If you know or think your dog has consumed chocolate, call an emergency vet right away. At VEG, you can speak directly to an emergency veterinarian who will help you with knowing what the next steps are. All of our VEG locations have teams of expert and compassionate veterinarians who will do everything they can to help if your dog has chocolate toxicity.
