What Should I Do if My Dog Ate Chocolate?
If you think your dog has eaten chocolate, or they have any of these symptoms, contact the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 or your veterinarian or emergency vet right away:
Remember, with any poisoning, it’s always cheaper, less invasive, and has a better prognosis/outcome if you treat early. Once your dog has already developed clinical signs and is affected by the poison, it makes for a much more expensive veterinary visit!
COMMON CHOCOLATE SOURCES:
Ice Cream Rich Chocolate Serving: 1 cup ( 148g) Theobromine: 178mg Caffeine: 5.9mg
KIT KAT Wafer Bar Serving: 1 bar (42g) Theobromine: 48.7mg Caffeine: 5.9mg
Peanut M&Ms Serving: 1 cup (170g) Theobromine: 184mg Caffeine: 17mg
REESES Peanut Butter Cups (2pk) Serving: 2 cups (45g) Theobromine: 32.4mg Caffeine: 3.2mg
Ready to Eat Chocolate Pudding Serving: 4 oz (108g) Theobromine: 75.6mg Caffeine: 2.2mg
Doughnut, cake-type, chocolate, sugared or glazed Serving: 1 Doughnut (3 dia) (43g) Theobromine: 12.6mg Caffeine: 0.6mg
Hersheys Milk Chocolate Bar Serving: 1.55 oz (43g) Theobromine: 64mg Caffeine: 9mg
Chocolate Chip Cookies , made with margarine Serving: 1 Cookie Med (2 1/4″ dia) (16g) Theobromine: 20.3mg Caffeine: 2.6mg
Hersheys Chocolate Syrup Serving: 2 Tbsp (39g) Theobromine: 64mg Caffeine: 5mg
Milky Way Serving: 1 bar (58g) Theobromine: 37.1 mg Caffeine: 3.5mg
Hersheys KISSES (Milk Chocolate) Serving: 9 pieces (41g) Theobromine: 61mg Caffeine: 9mg
Generic Hot Fudge Sundae Topping Serving: 1 Sundae (158g) Theobromine: 77.4mg Caffeine: 1.6mg
Hersheys Semi-Sweet Baking Bar Serving: 1 Tbsp (15g) Theobromine: 55mg Caffeine: 7mg
REESES PIECES Candy Serving: 1 package (46g) Theobromine: 0mg Caffeine: 0mg
Cookies, brownies, commercially prepared Serving: 1 Square (2 –3/4″ sq x 7/8″) (56g) Theobromine: 43.7mg Caffeine: 1.1mg
aThe amount of caffeine and theobromine will vary naturally due to growing conditions and cocoa bean sources and variety.
| Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, processed with alkali [Dutch cocoa] | 1 cup (86g) | 2266 mg | 67.1 mg |
| Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares | 1 cup, grated (132g) | 1712 mg | 106 mg |
| Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened | 1 cup (86g) | 1769 mg | 198 mg |
| Baking chocolate, unsweetened, liquid | 1 oz (28g) | 447 mg | 13.2 mg |
| Puddings, chocolate flavor, low calorie, regular, dry mix | 1 Package (40g) | 238 mg | 7.2 mg |
| Desserts, rennin, chocolate, dry mix | 1 Package, 2 oz (57g) | 242 mg | 7.4 mg |
| Puddings, chocolate flavor, low calorie, instant, dry mix | 1 Package, 1.4oz box (40g) | 189 mg | 5.6 mg |
| Syrups, chocolate, HERSHEYS Genuine Chocolate Flavored Lite Syrup | 2 tbsp (35g) | 68.3 mg | 2.1 mg |
| Cocoa, dry powder, hi-fat or breakfast, processed with alkali | 1 oz (28g) | 685 mg | 20.2 mg |
| Candies, chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids | I bar (101g) | 810 mg | 80.8 mg |
| Cocoa, dry powder, hi-fat or breakfast, plain | 1 Tbsp (5g) | 92.6 mg | 10.3mg |
Reasons Why Chocolates Can Kill Dogs
Dogs can’t metabolize theobromine in the same way as humans, making them highly susceptible to the chemical. In some cases, consuming 1 to 2 ounces of chocolate can kill dogs, while other kinds of chocolate only take 0.3 ounces to become deadly.
When dogs can’t break up theobromine quickly, the chemical will enter the bloodstream to speed up heart rate and attack the nervous system. This is particularly applicable for small dogs who eat large amounts of chocolate.
How Much Chocolate Can Kill Your Dog?
You may have heard that chocolates are bad for dogs, yet how much chocolate can kill a dog? In this article, I’m sharing all the necessary information about chocolate toxicity for dogs, including symptoms, effects, treatment, and prevention, to ensure your pet’s well-being.