How much chocolate can kill a dog : Do you think your dog ate chocolate recently? If yes, then you have got several reasons to get worried. Dogs are friendly creatures who can love their owners unconditionally. But at the same time, most of them have notorious nature and childish habits within themselves, which are pretty enjoyable at times and problematic. There are times when you might find them behaving guilty and notice a bit of sickness.
You can be assured that they have eaten something recently that they should not have, like chocolates! If you are wondering how much chocolate can kill a dog, then the answer is only 20 ounces of milk chocolate or 10 ounces of semi-sweet chocolates are enough to kill a dog by producing heavy loads of Theobromine as per body weight! In this article, you will find all the symptoms of your dogs eating chocolates and the remedies.
Also Read : Why Is My Dog Not Eating or Drinking? What Should I Do?
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Symptoms of your Dog eating Chocolates
If you are looking for symptoms of dog eating chocolate, then worry not, as the following list of symptoms will help you find out. If you notice your fur babies having any of the below symptoms, then you might need to consult a vet immediately now:
Also read: Can Dogs Eat Mushrooms? Are Mushrooms Safe For Dogs?
- Vomiting:
If you notice your dog vomiting suddenly or abnormally after having his usual diet, then there are chances that he had chocolate recently. If he faces excessive vomiting, then try to contact a veterinarian immediately.
- Diarrhea:
Diarrhea is another symptom of your dog having chocolates. You might notice liquid diarrhea with an awful smell in the stool, indicating food poisoning in your dog.
- Pancreatitis:
Another symptom of chocolate poisoning in your fur baby is extreme stomach pain due to pancreatitis. You might notice them howling or showing abnormalities in normal behavior due to pain.
- Excessive thirst:
If you see your canine companion drinking excessive water than usual, that means they had consumed something earlier, which leads to increased thirst. It might be a symptom of chocolate poisoning.
- Weakness and imbalance:
You might notice your dog being unable to walk correctly or see him losing balance while he walks, indicating signs of weakness in his body. If he had a little piece of chocolate unknowingly, then the symptoms might reduce with time.
- Hyperexcitability:
Dog owners have also noticed hyperexcitability in dogs after consuming chocolate. The dogs might be friendly usually. But due to the chocolate poisoning and uncomfortableness in the body, he might become aggressive!
Can one chocolate chip kill a dog?
Well, no! One single chocolate chip is negligible to show any signs of food poisoning in dogs. The high possibilities are of it passing down the stool in a short span. Besides the above symptoms, if you notice your dog having an abnormal heartbeat, muscle spasms, or seizures, he might have engulfed a big chunk of chocolate, leading to poisoning. In the worse case, your dog might even go into a coma!
Home remedies for chocolate poisoning in dogs
There are times when you haphazardly look through your browser for answers to questions like “What to do if your dogs eat chocolates home remedies?” If you are one of those searchers, then pause as you do not have to run around for home remedies for chocolate poisoning in dogs anymore. Here are a few things which you can do to give your canine companion quick relief:
- Take away remaining pieces:
Consuming chocolates might be a result of one of the notorious activities of your fur buddy. If you catch your dogs eating chocolates, then the first thing which you should do is to take away all the remaining pieces. You can clear up the spot instantly without further late so that the dogs cannot get more and worsen their health.
- Contact a vet:
The second thing which you need to do is to contact your vet immediately. The doctor might ask a few questions regarding the chocolate eating experience of your fur baby like, what kind of chocolate he had, how much chocolate he had, his body weight and food habits, etc. You should be knowing all the answers to the questions or at least have some idea about them for proper help.
The best thing which you can do to your sick dog after chocolate poisoning is to induce vomiting. The vet might prescribe specific ways for being successful in the process. If you do not know how to make your dog vomit after eating chocolates, you can use hydrogen peroxide syrup or a tablet, which will wash away all the chocolate pieces from the stomach and make him throw up!
- Administer Activated Charcoal:
The last thing you can do to give your dog instant relief from chocolate poisoning is to administer activated charcoal to your dog. The activated charcoal option is only applicable when it has been a long time after your dog is eating the chocolate. The chocolate might have passed to the intestines and then the bloodstream causing chocolate poisoning in them. If you administer activated charcoal to your dogs, then it would clear the bloodstream by making it get rid of Theobromine from the chocolate at ease. But you should take all the above steps only when your vet suggests it in a certain way!
Is milk chocolate bad for dogs?
Most people come up with a common question, “is milk chocolate bad for dogs?” The genuine answer is yes! Any kind of chocolate is bad for dogs. Dogs have got a different and more sensitive digestive system than humans. Milk chocolate contains 45-55g of chocolate per 28g. Even one cube of milk chocolate can harm your dog’s system by causing chocolate poisoning. Any chocolate or cocoa-containing item can form Theobromine in a dog’s system, which might kill a dog. Even if your dog ate chocolate chip cookies, then it would be good for you to consult a vet as soon as possible!
Do chocolates always affect Dogs?
If you are one of those who search browsers like “my dog ate chocolate but is acting fine,” then you should be the happiest person on this entire planet for the safe health of your fur buddy! Chocolate generally is harmful to dogs. But it does not mean that even a tiny bite of chocolate chip or corner can harm his system. If your dog is safe even after consuming chocolate, pamper him, cuddle him, and wait for the piece to pass through his stool!
If you are also worried about how much chocolate can kill a cat, then you can leave that upon fate. It depends on many factors like age, weight, health condition, etc., for 30 gms of chocolate killing a cat. Now you know every knit and bit of chocolate poisoning effect on dogs. What keeps you waiting? Watch out for your fur buddy secretly eating chocolates now!