chocolate episode

I got up this morning to find that Daisy (Cocker with bad legs) has eaten about 150g of chocolate bar which we left on the settee last night.

She has done this before when someone posted a birthday present through the front door but that was years ago and I'm wondering, now that she's old, will this be dangerous? I've heard somewhere that chocolate can be really bad for dogs.

Thanks, Katrina.x

yes it is really dangerous i would get her to a vets our old girl ate a considerable amount not so long ago and nearly died from perlonged poisoning, i may be wrong and im sure someone will correct me but im sure chocloate is capable of causing fatalitites in dogs
I would get her to a vet
Best wishes

The toxicity depends on the relationship between amount consumed, type of chocolate, and body weight of the dog.

Chocolate contains theobromine which can be toxic in sufficient quantities.

Milk choc contains 44mg of theobromine per oz
Black choc contains 150mg of theobromine per oz
Cooking choc contains 390mg of theoromine per oz

Using a dose of 100mg per kg as the toxic dose then:
1oz per lb of body weight of milk choc is dangerous
1oz per 3lb of body weight of black choc is dangerous
1oz per 9lb of body weight of cooking choc is dangerous.

Look up chocolate+dogs on the net for more information.

If you are worried ring your vet. Tell him/her the quantity & type of choc consumed plus your dog's weight.

Yes, chocolates can cause fatalities in dogs.

Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine which is the cause of toxicity. The concentration of theobromine depends on what kind of chocolate it is - with milk chocolate containing less than dark chocolate. White chocolate has the least (around 0.009mg of theobromine/gram of chocolate)

Milk chocolate contains about 1.5mg of theobromine per gram of chocolate, plain chocolate contains between 4 & 16mg of theobromine per gram of chocolate, and unsweetened baking chocolate contains up to 15mg of theobromine per gram of chocolate. So potentially toxic levels can be reached in a 10kg dog by eating only 63 grams of unsweetened baking chocolate, or 670 grams of milk chocolate.

Signs of poisoning are:

Increased urine production
Diarrhoea
Vomiting
Elevated heart rate
Lethargy
Depression
Muscle tremors
Convulsions
Death

I would contact your vet ASAP. The amount of theobromine absorbed can be limited if the time between eating the chocolate is short and the vet can induce vomiting.



Edit: Ooops ... sorry SB, was writing my response same time as when you posted yours

hi Katrina342 i found an interesting page for pet foods something there might be interesting for you

http://www.petalia.com.au/Templates/...ry_no=257#ct-4

Hi Katrina.

How's Daisy ?

Hope she is OK.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I phoned the vets after I saw them and they said that there was a chance that she could become ill so to watch Daisy closely. Took the day off work and sat with her but she seemed fine. No sickness, diarrohea. She had an appointment for her leg last night anyway, so got checked out there. Vet said if it had been dark chocolate it would have been more dangerous. Will not be leaving dairy milk lying around again.
Katrina.x

Glad she's ok.

Hi Katrina chocolate does not affect all dogs to the same extent, when my son was small (years ago before we knew chocolate was so bad for dogs) we were staying with my parents and my little dog ate four easter eggs complete with most of the silver paper and wrappings and the chocolates inside..she wasn't even sick..the vet said not to worry and she was fine..small son was not with all his easter eggs gone !!

Moral of the story. If you start eating a bar of choccy, FINISH IT! :smt081