What to Do if You Think Your Dog Ate Chocolate

When a dog eats chocolate it requires firsthand attention. Dog chocolate poisoning symptoms appear in 1 to 4 hours.  A chocolate dog poisonous emergency is caused past the canine toxin theobromine. Theobromine is a stimulant that is similar to caffeine. It is harmless to people, but can cause your dog to get very ill including problems with center rhythm (arrhythmia), problems with the key nervous organisation, muscle tremors, seizures and blackout. Other symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, excessive urination and hyperactivity within hours or eating the chocolate.

The amount needed to cause toxicity is 100-200mg/kg with 250-500mg/kg being the amount where half of dogs could die. As rule of thumb, 4 oz. of milk chocolate has 240mg of theobromine. A x lb. domestic dog would need to eat 2 to 3 milk chocolate bars to reach 240mg. Semi-sweet chocolate has 43% less theobromine. Blistering chocolate has +73% more and can cause toxicity with only 1 oz (information technology has 450mg an oz, significantly to a higher place minimum toxic levels).

Handling is needed immediately. Information technology includes fluids, vomiting (if less than 2 hours after ingesting the chocolate), charcoal and possible medications that are normally prescribed for a racing heart and seizures. Call your veterinarian immediately.

All Chocolate Is A Potential Source of Domestic dog Poisoning. Run into The Table Below For Dangerous Levels of Each Type.

What to do about Dogs and Chocolate

Call your veterinary and describe the type of chocolate he or she might of ate (dark, unsweetened, milk chocolate, semi-sweet), the amount and the time. Also, give your veterinarian or emergency veterinary center the weight of your dog.  Describe any symptoms that yous are seeing.

If it has been within two hours since your dog ate the chocolate, your veterinary volition give your dog a medication to induce airsickness. Later 2 hours it will have passed through the stomach and into the modest intestine where it will all be absorbed by the body. At that point, inducing airsickness volition not rid your dog of the toxin followed by repeated doses of activated charcoal to absorb any toxins.

If your dog eats chocolate and shows signs of toxicity, he may need to be hospitalized for a time so that he tin exist observed and supportive therapy given for whatsoever symptoms he has. For instance, if he is having seizures, anti-convulsive medication volition exist given. The length of the hospitalization will depend on how much chocolate he ate, what symptoms he is showing, and the severity of the symptoms. Usually he will be kept until the theobromine has left his arrangement. Theobromine has a half life of 7 ½ hours. That means that in 7 ½ hours from the time your canis familiaris eats chocolate, half the theobromine will take left his system. In another 7 ½ hours, half of that will exist gone, and then on. Symptoms can final upwards to 72 hours.

Your veterinary will utilize charcoal to absorb the toxin and possibly induce vomiting. Intravenous fluids may be administered to assistance clear the toxins from the bloodstream. Any symptoms volition also be treated. The fundamental is to undergo treatment earlier the toxins enter the claret.

Chocolate is one of the top 10 causes of dog poisoning due to the ingredient theobromine. The average milk chocolate bar is two-3 oz. At this level is would take 2 to 3 milk chocolate candy bars to produce toxicity in a 10 lb dog. Baking chocolate on the other manus can be toxic with a single once in a 10 lb. dog. Semi-sweet chocolate has approximately 60% the level of theobromine as milk chocolate. Hot chocolate has 12 mg/oz, fashion under the 100-200/mg/kg needed to cause symptoms.

Types of Chocolate and Dogs

Different types of chocolate have dissimilar amounts of theobromine. Therefore they reach a toxic level at different amounts. Toxicity depends on the amount eaten and the trunk weight of your dog.

Dogs and Chocolate Types
Type	Corporeality
Milk Chocolate	45 mg theobromine per ounce (ane ounce = approximately 1 square). Information technology is toxic at i ounce eaten per pound trunk weight.
Semi-sweetness chocolate	150 mg - 260 mg per ounce. It becomes toxic at one ounce eaten per iii - vi pounds body weight.
Cocoa beans	450 - 1500 mg per ounce. They become toxic at one ounce eaten per 10 - 33 pounds trunk weight.

Chocolate in any dose is not practiced for your dog including human junk food such as chocolate cookies. White chocolate, carob and cocoa butter do non contain dangerous toxins.

Example of Dog Poisonous Amounts of Chocolate

Chocolate starts to be toxic to dogs at levels indicated beneath. Remember that this tabular array is for unsweetened chocolate, for milk chocolate a dog can tolerate approximately 10x the amount without severe symptoms.

Unsweetened Chocolate
Dog Weight In Pounds	Chocolate Squares	Ounces Of Chocolate
20	1	i
forty	2	2
80	4	4

For instance if your 80 pound canis familiaris eats half a chocolate cake she will probably experience diarrhea and airsickness.

Potential toxic doses in a 44 pound canis familiaris are:

Blazon Of Chocolate	Amount
Unsweetened Cocoa	3oz
Baking Chocolate	5oz
Semisweet Chocolate	7oz
Milk Chocolate	20oz

Domestic dog chocolate poisoning depends on the weight of the dog and the amount of chocolate eaten. This ane.five oz bar of chocolate is well below the levels needed for a sever example of poisoning in a domestic dog that is 44 pounds or larger. Whenever your canis familiaris eats chocolate, contact a veterinarian for advice and watch for whatsoever of the clinical dog chocolate poisoning symptoms mentioned here.

Tin can a Dog Eat White Chocolate?

Your dog can eat white chocolate and cocoa butter since both take a very minor amount of theobromine. Hot chocolate is as well non unsafe with approximately 12mg of theobromine per serving.

Dog Chocolate Symptoms

If your canis familiaris eats chocolate in lower doses, digestive upset such as airsickness and diarrhea may occur. This can happen immediately or may even happen the next solar day.

In higher doses, more than severe symptoms will occur. You dog may appear restless and irritable. He may accept increased urination. His center rate will increase. He might have tremors or fifty-fifty seizures. At toxic levels, coma or even decease can consequence. If your dog has eaten close to the amounts of chocolate listed above, y'all need to take him to the veterinarian right away. If yous dog eats a trivial chocolate common symptoms are:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• Tremors
• Increased thirst
• Weakness
• Balance problems
• Hyperexcitability

Dogs that swallow a large corporeality of chocolate tin experience more severe symptoms:

• Heart arrhythmia/abnormal rhythm
• Seizures
• Coma
• Muscle Spasms

For Boosted Reading:

References

Brevitz, Betsy DVM
Hound Health Handbook

The Doctors Volume of Habitation Remedies for Dogs and Cats
Prevention Mag

Toxicants Associated with Stimulation or Seizures

Beasley, V.

The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health

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Source: https://www.dog-health-guide.org/dogeatschocolate.html

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