Dog Ate Chocolate What to Do Next to Keep Them Safe

The Ultimate Guide to Dogs and Chocolate

At Zera, we know how much you love your furry friend, and we understand how panic-stricken you can feel when you realize your pooch may be addicted to chocolate. The following will tell you everything you need to know about dogs and chocolate to ensure the safety of your best friend.

Why chocolate is dangerous for dogs

Chocolate contains two compounds that are toxic to dogs : theobromine and caffeine. While we love chocolate desserts and mocha lattes, a dog’s body cannot digest these substances. Please stick to dog food for your dog and keep the chocolate to yourself.

The effects of chocolate on dogs are as follows:

  • Medium doses can cause irritability, vomiting or diarrhea.
  • High doses can cause serious symptoms such as cardiac arrhythmias and seizures.

It is important to note that symptoms maynot appearuntilup to six hours after your dog has eaten chocolate.

The type of chocolate matters

Not all chocolate is created equal. The darker and less sweet the chocolate, the more harmful it is to your dog.

  • Milk chocolate contains the least amount of toxins.
  • Dark chocolate contains twice as much theobromine as milk chocolate.
  • Baking chocolate is the most toxic, containing three times as much as dark chocolate.

The good news is that not every case of chocolate poisoning requires a pet to be taken to the doctor. Let’s break it down.


What to do if your dog accidentally ingests chocolate

If your dog has accidentally ingested chocolate, follow these steps:

  1. Remove your dog from the area to prevent further eating. This may seem obvious, but it can be easily overlooked when you are panicking.
  2. Estimate the amount and type of chocolate your dog has eaten. For example, was it milk chocolate, dark chocolate or baking chocolate? If your dog ate baking chocolate, skip to step 4 immediately.
  3. Call your veterinarian to calculate the risk level based on your dog’s size and the amount of chocolate consumed.
  4. If necessary, induce vomiting. If your veterinarian recommends inducing vomiting and you are more than 15 minutes away from the clinic, they can guide you through the process.

For more advice on how to cater for your pet’s needs, check out our guide on how to prepare items for your new pet.


Chocolate content in common snacks

Knowing the amount of chocolate in different sweets will help you assess the situation. Here’s a quick guide to some common snacks:

  • Funky Snickers = â…“ ounce of milk chocolate
  • Regular Snickers = 0.7 ounces of milk chocolate
  • Regular Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Cups = 0.5 ounces of milk chocolate
  • Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups = 0.2 oz milk chocolate
  • Hershey’s Kisses (single ) = 0.15 oz milk chocolate
  • Regular package of M&Ms Chocolate Beans = 1.7 oz milk chocolate
  • Hershey bars = 1.55 oz milk chocolate
  • Regular dark chocolate bar = 3 ounces of dark chocolate

Examples of Chocolate Poisoning

Depending on weight, different amounts of chocolate can affect a dog as follows:

Example 1: A 20-pound dog

  • Milk chocolate: a 20-pound dog can eat several full-size Snickers bars or 1.5 packages of M&M beans without medical attention.
  • Dark chocolate: eating half a bar (1.5 ounces) can cause vomiting and diarrhea, and eating a whole bar (3 ounces) can cause cardiac arrhythmia or seizures – this is an emergency.
  • Baking chocolate: even in small amounts, you need to take your pet to the veterinarian immediately.

Example 2: 35-pound dog

  • Milk chocolate: a 35-pound dog can safely consume up to 3.5 ounces of milk chocolate – about two packages of M&M chocolate.
  • DARK CHOCOLATE: Eating the entire bar (3 ounces) can cause vomiting and diarrhea, and medical attention is recommended.
  • Baking Chocolate: eating half a pan of brownies containing baking chocolate requires emergency treatment.

Example 3: 65-pound dog

  • Milk chocolate: a 65-pound dog could eat 30 Reese’s mini chocolate cups and would probably only get a stomach ache.
  • Dark Chocolate: eating 30 Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Kisses can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea requiring medical attention.
  • Baking Chocolate: a pan of brownies made with 4 ounces of baking chocolate can lead to a serious emergency.

Remember, when it comes to chocolate and dogs, prevention is always better than cure. Keep these sweet treats out of your dog’s reach and take immediate action if an accident occurs. Your furry friend needs your help!

If your furry friend steals a piece of chocolate on Halloween, it could lead to some scary medical conditions and even require a trip to the hospital. Oops!

Follow these tips to make this year’s Halloween the safest and most fun Halloween yet! Long story short, whether or not chocolate is bad for your dog depends on the type of chocolate, how much they eat, and how big they are. When in doubt, it’s always best to play it safe – consult your veterinarian!

Hey, if you’re getting into the spirit of Halloween dressing up, don’t forget to take a photo and share it on Instagram using the hashtag #ZeraHalloween so we can all get in the holiday spirit together!

What’s the easiest way to keep your dog away from candy? Just make sure they happily snack on lots of Zera. Happy Halloween and be safe out there!

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