Dog Chocolate Toxicity
Dog Chocolate Toxicity
While there are many human foods that can be safely fed to our four legged friends in small doses, chocolate unfortunately is not one of them. If your dog has eaten chocolate you are strongly advised to contact your local vet immediately for medical advice.
Chocolate is toxic to dogs. Chocolate ingestion can result in vomiting, diarrhoea or even seizures. In severe cases chocolate toxicity can be fatal.
How much chocolate is toxic for my dog?
The effect of your dog eating chocolate is determined by a few main factors:
How much your dog weighs
Different types of chocolate contain different amounts of theobromine, however the general rule is that the more bitter the chocolate, the higher the toxicity to your dog.
As a rough guide:
White chocolate
White chocolate has the least at around 0.25 mg per 28 grams of chocolate
Milk chocolate
Milk chocolate contains 44–58 mg per 28 grams of chocolate
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate contains between 130–450 mg per 28 grams of chocolate
What are the symptoms of chocolate poisoning?
Symptoms of chocolate toxicity can take several hours to show, and even longer to disappear. Some signs that your dog may have eaten chocolate are:
Vomiting
How is chocolate poisoning treated?
Treatments can vary depending on the amount of chocolate that your dog has eaten however the first step if treated early is to induce vomiting, and try to block absorption of the theobromine before it is absorbed into your dogs body.
Depending on the severity of the poisoning, it may be necessary to administer IV fluids to help flush out your pets system. If your dog has ingested chocolate please contact your nearest Sydney Animal Hospitals on;
7 Sydney Animal Hospital Locations Across Sydney
Sydney Animal Hospitals have 7 locations across Sydney for your convenience
Newtown
Open 7 Days
Inner West
Open 7 Days
Norwest
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Kellyville
Open 7 Days
Baulkham Hills
Open 7 Days
Newport
Open 7 Days
Avalon
Open 6 Days
7 Sydney Animal Hospital Locations Across Sydney
Sydney Animal Hospitals have 7 locations across Sydney for your convenience
