Why is chocolate bad for dogs?

With Easter just around the corner, we thought it'd be a good time to remind pet owners with kids to keep the Easter baskets and candy stash up and away from your pets!

Curious noses are attracted to these sweet treats, and most pet owners know that chocolate is bad for dogs, but do you know why?

Chocolate contains Theobromine, a compound that humans can easily metabolize. Dogs' bodies do not process Theobromine well, causing it to build up in their bodies and produce serious side effects.

Severe cases of chocolate toxicity can lead to muscle tremors, seizures, heart arrhythmia, or even death.

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The severity of chocolate toxicity depends on several factors:

• Type of chocolate
• Weight of your dog
• Amount of chocolate ingested​

As a general rule, the "darker" the chocolate, the higher the Theobromine content, so baking chocolate and dark chocolate can cause toxic side effects with a much smaller amount than milk chocolate.

Only 2 squares of baking chocolate or 6 ounces of semi-sweet chips can cause severe toxicity in a 20-pound dog.

If you suspect your dog has ingested chocolate, here's what we'll want to know:

• An estimate of how much chocolate - and what type - your dog ate. (Check the packaging, if you have it.)
• How long ago your dog ate the chocolate.
• [If you're calling the ASPCA Pet Poison Helpline or an emergency hospital, they'll need to know your pet's weight. If your dog is a patient at Allegheny North, we will have his or her most recent weight in our records.]

Call us right away. Do not wait to look for side effects!
After hours, contact a 24-hour emergency veterinarian or call the ASPCA Pet Poison Helpline.

If a toxic dose of chocolate was ingested, early treatment is critical. At the hospital, we are able to safely induce vomiting and administer fluid therapy, if needed. The type of treatment needed will depend on your dog's specific situation.

EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS

• Allegheny North Veterinary Hospital: 412-364-5511

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• P.V.S.E.C. (Camp Horne Rd): 412-366-3400

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• University Veterinary Specialists (McMurray): 724-717-2273

 

• ASPCA Pet Poison Helpline ($59 Fee): 855-764-7661

While one milk chocolate Hershey's Kiss might not cause harm to your Labrador, it's best not to share candy with your canine companions. Right now, your dog doesn't know what he's missing; avoid giving him any type of chocolate so that he doesn't develop a taste for it.

​We all know how hard chocolate is to resist once you know just how good it is...!