Chocolate Toxicity Calculator
Is Chocolate Poisonous to Dogs?
When a dog eats chocolate, it is possible that the dog can get very sick and need to see the vet! Sometimes, however, depending on the type of chocolate, the amount eaten and the size of the dog, only mild symptoms are seen. As a vet I have seen many dogs get sick from eating chocolate. Some of them have had vomiting and diarrhea, but some have had more serious symptoms like tremors, seizures and even coma.
Chocolate contains two substances that are toxic to dogs: theobromine and caffeine. Dogs metabolize these items much slower than people do.
Both theobromine and caffeine are stimulants to the central nervous system. If too much chocolate is ingested then the increased stimulus to the central nervous system can cause an increase in blood pressure and irregular heart rhythms and possibly even death!
Not Sure What Type of Chocolate Your Dog Ate?
When a dog eats chocolate, it is possible that the dog can get very sick and need to see the vet! Sometimes, however, depending on the type of chocolate, the amount eaten and the size of the dog, only mild symptoms are seen. As a vet I have seen many dogs get sick from eating chocolate. Some of them have had vomiting and diarrhea, but some have had more serious symptoms like tremors, seizures and even coma.
Chocolate contains two substances that are toxic to dogs: theobromine and caffeine. Dogs metabolize these items much slower than people do.
Both theobromine and caffeine are stimulants to the central nervous system. If too much chocolate is ingested then the increased stimulus to the central nervous system can cause an increase in blood pressure and irregular heart rhythms and possibly even death!
Not Sure How Much Chocolate Your Dog Ate?
If the packaging of the chocolate is still around, you should be able to read how many ounces or grams of chocolate are in the product. If not, here are some guidelines:
- A milk chocolate Hershey’s Bar contains 1.5 oz (43g) of chocolate.
- A regular Toblerone Bar contains 3.5 oz (100g) of chocolate.
- A giant Toblerone Bar contains 14 oz (397g) of chocolate.
- A single Hershey’s Kiss contains 0.2 oz (5.7g) of chocolate.
Chocolate Toxicity Calculator for Dogs
Chocolate contains a compound called theobromine, which can be poisonous to dogs even in small amounts. To find out if your pet has consumed a toxic amount of theobromine, enter their bodyweight, type of chocolate consumed and how much they consumed below. Your results will be displayed below after clicking calculate.