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Chocolate Toxicity in Dogs

And now a few thoughts about chocolate and dogs. I think this is a really important topic, and I wanted to address it here, as in various stories on my web site I mention feeding my dogs human chocolate products (Maltesers and mini Mars Bars).

Human chocolate contains a compound called theobromine, and ingestion of even very small amounts of theobromine can be fatal to dogs. However as with all health warnings (both human and animal) it is important to be aware of the facts as they pertain to your pets.

The biggest threat is dark (also know as bittersweet or cooking) chocolate which can be VERY toxic in small amounts (less than 100grams could prove fatal to a greyhound).

Theobromine affects the heart, central nervous system, and kidneys. Early signs of theobromine poisoning in dogs include nausea and vomiting, restlessness, diarrhoea, muscle tremors, and increased urination or incontinence. The best treatment at this stage is to induce vomiting, although if ingestion occurred more than 3 - 4 hours previously charcoal may produce better results. Cardiac arrhythmia and seizures are symptoms of very advanced poisoning, and are the most common cause of death. In either case an immediate veterinary opinion is VITAL.

I have attached a more in-depth explanation below.

Chocolate (active ingredient, theobromine)

The half-life in the dog is 17.5 hours (this is a measure of how long it remains in the system, and any chocolate ingested over this period of time will have a cumulative effect). In comparison, the half-life in humans is less than 6 hours.

The toxic dose in the dog is 100-150 mg/kg. Obviously this will vary slightly between individual animals, so it is always best to be very cautious and use the figures quoted below as a rough guideline only. I have tried to quote both imperial and metric measurements in all examples.

1 kilogram (kg) = 2.2 lbs.

1 gram (g) = 0.04 ounces.

1 milligram (mg) = 1/1000 of a gram.

The examples listed below are based on an average, male, adult greyhound weighing 32kg or 70lb.

Milk chocolate

Milk chocolate has approximately 44mg/oz (154mg/100g) theobromine.

The toxic dose for 70 lb dog would be 70oz of milk chocolate.

The toxic dose for 32kg dog would be 2kg of milk chocolate.

Semisweet chocolate

Semisweet chocolate has approximately 150 mg/oz (528mg/100g) theobromine.

The toxic dose for 70 lb dog - 21oz of semisweet chocolate.

The toxic dose for 32kg dog - 600g of semisweet chocolate.

Dark or baking chocolate

Baking/bittersweet chocolate has approximately 390mg/oz (1365 mg/100g) theobromine.

The toxic dose for 70 lb dog - 7oz of baking chocolate.

The toxic dose for 32kg dog - 200g of baking chocolate.

Thus a dog eating 1oz / 28g of baking chocolate would have to eat almost 3oz / 85g of semisweet, or 10oz / 285g of milk chocolate, to get the same dose of theobromine.

The theobromine in sweets consisting of chocolate that is coated over something else - as in filled chocolates and chocolate coated dried fruit, nuts, etc. will be more dilute than that in pure chocolate bars.

The theobromine concentration will vary dramatically between brand names and manufacturers. As a general rule of thumb the more expensive the chocolate and the higher the cocoa solid content, the more toxic it will be.

There is a school of thought that says you should never feed your dog chocolate (except special dog chocolate), as this will help them to develop a taste for it. Personally I think if you were to put a piece of chocolate out on a table and leave the room, the incidence of consumption would be just as high in dogs that have never tasted chocolate before. Frankly the stuff just tastes good! So the safest way to ensure you dog doesn't become ill or die as a result of chocolate poisoning is to follow a few simple rules.

• Don't leave any form of chocolate or chocolate covered products out where your dog may reach them (and a dog that wants something can often reach a lot further than you previously thought).
• Place chocolate in high kitchen cabinets so if a door is accidentally left open your dog can't help himself.
• At Christmas time always ask friends and relatives if their presents contain any chocolate items, and if so do not place these items under the tree. Store them safely where your dog can't reach them.
• Educate other family members (especially children) about the dangers of feeding chocolate to dogs.
• During times when there is more chocolate than usual in the house (Easter, Christmas, etc) give children a safe and secure place to store their chocolate, that will be out of reach of the dog.
• Try to avoid having fatal quantities of chocolate in your house.
• If you do have large quantities of chocolate (or even small quantities of dark / bittersweet chocolate) consider buying a robust tin (or other similar storage container) to keep in the cupboard. This provides another protective barrier between your dog and the chocolate.
• Discuss the matter with your vet, and ask about ways to make a dog vomit in an emergency, so you can ensure you have the necessary supplies on hand.
• And finally, my favourite safety precaution of all. If you open a bar of chocolate, eat the whole lot in one sitting, thereby removing the chance that your dog will eat any left overs!

This is one of those matters that come down to common sense. Most toxic chemicals that we have in our homes (such as cleaning products and medications) are supplied in special containers (childproof caps, plastic rather than glass bottles). They are often brightly coloured to warn us they are not for consumption, and may have other unpalatable substances added to make them taste bitter or unpleasant. They have multiple warning labels. We would never consider leaving 50 sweet flavoured paracetamol tablets out on the coffee table, within easy reach of our children or our dogs. So it is simply a matter of awareness and ensuring we take similar precautions with chocolate.

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