It’s a well-known fact that chocolate is bad for dogs. Regardless of the type of chocolate that is used, this sweet treat can be a death sentence for your pooch! We’ve discussed this before, but we wanted to bite back into the topic.

At The Dog Bakery, we’re always on the lookout for foods that could harm our pups. We love our dogs like we love our family, and that’s why we’re constantly updating our blog to bring you the latest news and information.

Before we get any deeper into the topic, we need to say something: never feed your dogs chocolate! Ever. There are plenty of other amazing flavors for them to try, and you can even give your pups a dog-friendly “chocolate” experience with some carob.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, it’s time to get to the topic of today’s post: how much chocolate can kill a dog? Keep reading for the answer to this, and many more questions. 

Why Can’t Dogs Eat Chocolate?

To understand how much chocolate it takes to kill a dog, it’s worth knowing why dogs can’t eat chocolate.

In addition to the many unhealthy fats, oils, and sugars that are in plain chocolates, there’s also a chemical known as theobromine. Humans do not react to this chemical. However, theobromine is toxic to both dogs and cats. Chocolate also tends to contain variable amounts of caffeine, which can also be extremely harmful to dogs.

Theobromine is incredibly hard for dogs (and cats!) to digest. When ingested, it ultimately builds up in a pup’s body. It causes blood to rush to a dog’s brain, which has a variety of harmful aftereffects. Even small amounts of theobromine can cause seizures, and large amounts are known to cause death.

Theobromine and Chocolate

Every type of chocolate has a different amount of theobromine. White chocolate contains the lowest amount of theobromine, while dark chocolate has a lot of theobromine. Milk chocolate falls in between these two extremes.

This doesn’t mean that any chocolate is “safe” or “safer” for you to feed your dog! All forms of chocolate are bad for your pup, and even tiny amounts can cause problems for small dogs.

What Happens When Dogs Eat Chocolate?

When a pup eats a problematic amount of chocolate, it can take up to 24 hours for symptoms to appear. If your dog has managed to get their mouth around some of the sweet stuff, then it’s time to take them to the vet! Symptoms of chocolate poisoning in dogs include:

• Diarrhea
• Rapid breathing
• Restlessness
• Seizures
• Vomiting

What Should I Do If My Dog Eats Chocolate?

If your dog eats any chocolate, it is a veterinary emergency! Step one is to determine how much chocolate your dog ate. Step two is to dial the emergency line for your vet or your nearest emergency veterinarian. While there are 24/7 emergency veterinary hotlines, the best thing to do is contact your veterinarian directly. They know your dog, and they’ll know what to do.

You may be directed to take your dog to a nearby emergency vet. This is a crucial step in keeping your pup healthy, so be sure to follow their advice. Afterward, it’s up to the staff of the clinic to make sure your pup survives their foray into chocolate tasting.

How Much Chocolate Can Kill a Dog

Now that we’ve gone through some of the background information, let’s dig into the main question: how much chocolate can kill a dog?

Ultimately, the amount of chocolate it will take to kill a dog is dependent on a variety of factors. When you’re trying to figure out if a dog has eaten a concerning amount of chocolate, the best thing to do is call your vet. However, if you cannot get in touch with someone, it’s time to take matters into your own hands.

Using a chocolate toxicity calculator is a good way to get an idea of how much danger your pup is in. These handy online tools take every factor into account, including:

• The dog’s weight
• How much chocolate was eaten
• What kind of chocolate was eaten
• What other ingredients were in the chocolate

How to Safely Treat Your Dog

If you’re looking for a safe way to give your dog some amazing, tasty treats, then you’ll want to check out The Dog Bakery’s store! We have plenty of pup-friendly treats and goodies, and we even have dog-friendly cakes.

Rocky Kanaka

Rocky Kanaka is an entrepreneur, pet rescue advocate and dog dad to a rescue boxer named Flip, a blind Cane Corso called Kobe, and a terrier mix named Zoey. He's also a pet chef and owner of The Dog Bakery, which specializes in dog birthday cakes and fresh baked dog treats. His three dogs can't get enough of the dog cakes and treats!

Lorna Ladd

Lorna Paxton Ladd is a passionate dog lover and enthusiast of The Dog Bakery. She loves spoiling her 3 rescue dogs with dog cakes and jerky. A 15 year veteran in the pet industry, her aim is to educate pet parents on the best recipes, products, tips and tricks to optimize the human/canine bond. Her favorite product at The Dog Bakery are the customizable dog birthday cakes.