Warum?

Dark chocolate's higher cacao content means dramatically higher theobromine concentrations. 70% dark chocolate typically contains 150–200mg of theobromine per ounce. This is the type most likely to cause serious cardiac and neurological effects.

Baking chocolate is even more concentrated at 400–450mg per ounce and is a particular hazard because it's commonly stored in home kitchens and does not taste sweet, so dogs who find it on counters eat large quantities before registering it as unpleasant.

Welche Menge ist gefährlich?

A 20-lb dog can show serious toxicity from 1 ounce of dark chocolate (70%+) or as little as 0.5 ounce of baking chocolate.

Welche Symptome gibt es?

BEGINN:Signs appear within 6–12 hours; peak at 12–36 hours.
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • excessive thirst
  • restlessness
  • muscle tremors
  • seizures
  • rapid or irregular heartbeat
  • collapse

Was soll ich tun?

Emergency vet care. Provide the type of chocolate, estimated ounces, and dog's weight. Theobromine dose determines the treatment protocol.

Häufige Fragen

How much dark chocolate is dangerous for a dog?

For a 20-lb dog: 1 oz of dark chocolate can cause GI distress; 2–3oz may cause cardiac symptoms. For a 5-lb dog, even a small bite of a dark chocolate bar warrants a call to the vet.

Is a small chip of dark chocolate OK?

A single small chip (1–2g) is unlikely to cause serious harm in a large dog, but immediate vet contact is still recommended to confirm the math.