19/06/2024
Summary: Can chocolate kill dogs? In this blog, learn all about chocolate toxicity in dogs, why this tasty human treat can be so fatal for our furry friends and what to do if your dog eats chocolate...
Knowing your actions could be the reason your pup is being rushed to puppy hospital isn’t a nice thought! As a doggy owner, you should be aware of what is and isn’t good for your pet (we hope), but sometimes, our furry friends get a little mischievous, and end up in places they shouldn’t... And eating things they shouldn't!
With various holidays throughout the year, these notoriously bring with them a large number of sweet candies - including chocolate!
We have all heard about how toxic it can be, but do we know why? Even though you may have found your dog on more than one occasion demolishing a box of truffles and having no reaction, this doesn’t mean that chocolate is okay for dogs – it just means you were lucky.
It does, however, depend on the quantity of the chocolate consumed, the type of chocolate and the size of your dog. For example; if you have a Great Dane, they could eat a little bit of milk chocolate and possibly be okay… Whereas a smaller dog, like a Yorkshire Terrier, could eat the same and end up being very poorly! This is why keeping chocolate away from your dog is better than risking it - no matter how much they beg.
So, let's discover more about chocolate toxicity in dogs and why it can be so fatal for them...
Can Chocolate Kill Dogs?
a pair of older, freckly white hands hold a handful of cocoa beans
Although us humans love the odd bit of chocolate; either to make us feel a bit better or just for a little indulgence, your dog could be seriously ill if they were to ingest it. This is due to what chocolate is made from – cocoa. Cocoa comes from a pod that grows on a cocoa tree, normally found along the equator belt. This plant is called Theobroma, which contains theobromine… something us humans find delicious, but for your pup, it is incredibly toxic.
It can be quite a misconception, but ALL types of chocolate contain theobromine. The level of the substance may vary from dark to white chocolate, but it will be there, regardless. So, for some dogs, even the smallest bit of this toxic substance could be fatal...
White Chocolate
That naughty little bar of white chocolate hiding in your candy box might be an exciting idea for you, but it is also a very attractive snack for your dog. White chocolate is mainly made from cocoa butter, rather than just cocoa. This is normally to get the lighter, creamier consistency, compared to milk and dark chocolate. As there is always theobromine found in cocoa, the quantity in the chocolate will be a lot lower… But, it’s still there none the less and can also cause chocolate toxicity in dogs.
Milk Chocolate
You guessed it… Milk chocolate has more cocoa in it than white chocolate, meaning it has a higher quantity of dog-toxic theobromine. Of course, it also contains milk and cocoa butter, which can dilute the theobromine, but that doesn’t mean it is safe for your dog to eat. If your dog is bigger than average, the one-off accidental chocolate is unlikely to cause a problem, but is it worth the risk?
A lot of milk chocolate bars vary in their cocoa content, so you need to make sure that, regardless, you keep an eye on your pooch and do whatever you can to keep your pup away from the candy bars.
Dark Chocolate
The darker the chocolate, the higher the theobromine. So dark, bittersweet chocolate will normally containing between 40% - 100% cocoa solids, meaning A LOT of toxic theobromine. Milk isn’t normally added to bittersweet chocolate, instead, cocoa butter is used to get the creamy consistency. With all that extra cocoa content, the risk of causing chocolate toxicity in your dog is extremely high.
Cocoa Powder
This is the most toxic form of chocolate for your pooch! Cocoa powder is as raw as you can get when it comes to chocolate. You may use it when you make the odd cake or sprinkle it into a coffee or hot cocoa. If you have cocoa powder in your house, you need to be extra careful with it around your dog as this is the most likely form to cause chocolate toxicity in dogs. Keep it in a high, hard-to - reach cupboard.
