Joseph Roetheli, PhD
Highlights:
Practically everyone knows that dogs and chocolate don’t mix, but the reasons why may surprise you.
In addition to chocolate, there are other foods that aren’t healthful for your dog and can even lead to issues like tooth decay.
Avoiding toxic foods and taking care of your dog’s oral health can help them live a longer, healthier life.
Even though dogs are smart, they sometimes make not-so-smart choices when they come in contact with food that could harm them. If you’ve ever left candy on a coffee table or dropped a half-eaten sandwich in an uncovered trash can, you may have discovered your dog has some serious swiping and excavating skills.
Dogs have fewer taste buds than we do, but they still appreciate flavor, so you may frequently find them sniffing around the pantry or digging for leftovers. Unfortunately, some human foods aren’t good for dogs. In fact, many can be toxic and life-threatening.
One food that is not safe for dogs is chocolate. We’ll talk about why it’s important to never give your dog any amount of chocolate and what risk factors make it dangerous for your pet.
We’ll also talk about a few other foods to avoid and how to satisfy your dog’s urge to chew with a tasty treat they’ll love that can even help keep their teeth clean and their bodies healthy.
Unfortunately, dogs can’t metabolize chocolate like humans. The ingredients in chocolate are dangerous for them and can cause serious negative health impacts, even death, if different types of chocolate are ingested.
Two ingredients, caffeine and theobromine, are found in practically all types of chocolate. These two ingredients are bad for your dog, and we will explain why.
It might be your favorite pick-me-up, but it can be fatal to your dog. Caffeine is found in all types of chocolate and acts as a stimulant that your dog cannot tolerate. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and can also act as a diuretic, causing your dog to experience dehydration.
Another stimulant found in chocolate is theobromine. This is the primary alkaloid found in the cacao bean, from which cocoa powder and chocolate are derived. Theobromine, like caffeine, can stimulate the nervous system and cause rapid heart rate that can become life-threatening.
In addition to caffeine and theobromine, other ingredients in chocolate are not good for dogs. The sugar and fat content in chocolate is much higher than your dog’s needed daily caloric intake. If they consume enough of it, they could end up with pancreatitis or serious gastrointestinal issues.
Chocolate isn’t good for dogs, but you’ve probably got a few anecdotal stories about your dog or someone else’s ingesting a little chocolate and surviving it. These types of events can lead you to believe that giving your dog a little chocolate isn’t very harmful.
In reality, no amount of chocolate is safe for your dog. Chocolate poisoning can happen with as little as 0.1 ounces of chocolate, depending on the type of chocolate ingested and the size and physiology of your dog.
Of all chocolates, cocoa powder is the most lethal, followed by unsweetened baker’s chocolate, semisweet chocolate, sweet dark chocolate, and milk chocolate. Baking chocolate and cocoa powder contain higher levels of caffeine and theobromine than milk chocolate, and it does not take much for your dog to ingest a lethal amount.
For instance, 0.1 ounces of baker’s chocolate per pound of body weight can be fatal for your dog, while one ounce per pound of your dog’s weight of milk chocolate will have the same toxic effect. It’s incredibly important to keep chocolate out of reach of your dog to prevent accidental ingestion.
Sometimes, there will be evidence that your dog has eaten chocolate. If you know your dog has eaten chocolate, contact an animal poison control center or your dog’s emergency veterinarian right away.
Other times, you may not know that your dog has consumed a chocolate bar you had stashed away or licked up spilled cocoa powder. If your dog begins to display symptoms of distress, contact their veterinarian immediately.
Symptoms of chocolate poisoning can include:
Your dog may exhibit other symptoms also, depending on the levels of theobromine and caffeine consumed in the chocolate.
If your dog is exhibiting signs of chocolate poisoning or if you know for certain that your dog ate chocolate, contact their veterinarian immediately. If you know the amount and type of chocolate your dog ate, let their veterinarian know.
Depending on the size of the dog and the amount and type of chocolate eaten, your dog may need to be monitored closely at home until the symptoms disappear. If your dog has visible, severe signs and symptoms of chocolate toxicity that include tremors, seizures, or unconsciousness, take your dog to the nearest emergency veterinary clinic right away.
Most of the time, ingested chocolate will need to be removed from your dog’s body by either induced vomiting or activated charcoal. These are unpleasant treatments that can be life-saving.
Depending on your dog’s size, more treatments may be needed like:
Although these measures are life-saving for your dog, they aren’t pleasant, and your dog won’t understand why they are being poked and prodded or why they feel bad. Keeping your dog away from chocolate is the best way to keep them safe and avoid a preventable trip to the animal hospital.
Chocolate ingestion is scary for your dog, but what about a little piece of white chocolate? Unfortunately, all chocolate is off the table for your pet, including white chocolate.
Although white chocolate does not contain caffeine, it doest still contain a small amount of theobromine which, depending on your dog’s size, can be toxic or at the very least make your dog ill.
In addition to chocolate, there are other foods you’ll want to avoid to keep your dog safe.
There are numerous foods that humans eat that are not safe for dogs. For this reason, responsible pet owners avoid giving their dogs table scraps and opt instead for dog kibble and dog-safe treats.
Other foods that are toxic to dogs include:
If your dog ingests any of these foods, contact their veterinarian immediately or phone the pet poison helpline. To help your dog avoid these foods, place them out of reach and make sure to give your dog plenty of healthy options to chew and enjoy, like Yummy CombsⓇ.
Yummy Combs are dental chews designed to help keep your dog’s oral health in check while also nourishing their body with a blend of 12 longevity ingredients and nutrients to support a long and healthy life.
Your dog’s oral health is directly linked with overall total wellness, so supporting it by keeping your dog’s teeth clean and healthy is important. When you give your dog a Yummy Combs treat, you’ll be giving them the only dental chew that is clinically proven to remove up to 25% of hardened tartar to help mitigate their risk of developing periodontal disease.
Yummy Combs’ unique shape prevents dogs from gulping, and our proprietary ingredients help them dissolve quickly upon ingestion to hinder gastrointestinal blockages. Your dog will love the delicious flavor, and you’ll love the nutritious ingredients that support your pet’s health. It’s a treat both of you can feel good about.
We’d never tellyou to say no to chocolate, but we would tell you to keep it away from your dog. Making sure your dog is kept safe from chocolate can be challenging, especially if you have children in the home who regularly leave candy lying around.
Making sure the entire family is on the same page about your dog’s health can help. Giving your dog Yummy Combs is a great way to keep them satiated and help them avoid searching for snacks (like chocolate) that they don’t need.
Sources:
Accounting for Taste: What Do Dogs Find Most Delicious? – American Kennel Club
Theobromine – Coffee, Tea, Mate, Methylxanthines and Methylglyoxal – NCBI Bookshelf
Relation between periodontal disease and systemic diseases in dogs – ScienceDirect
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Always feed the right treat size for your dog’s weight category. Always supervise your dog when feeding treats. This product is an adult only dog treat. Always provide ample fresh water for your dog.
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