How much chocolate will kill a dog calculator

We all love to indulge in a little chocolate at Christmas and Easter so it's no surprise that these are the peak times to see chocolate poisoning in dogs.  Thankfully most owners are aware chocolate is toxic.

But just how poisonous is chocolate to dogs?

Find out exactly how much chocolate could kill your dog with my chocolate poisoning calculator!

Chocolate poisoning is by far the most common poisoning in dogs in terms of calls to the vet with people wondering what to do next.  As a result it is actually uncommon for serious, life-threatening toxicity to occur.  Most dogs are seen for treatment long before they are truly in danger.  Make no mistake though, chocolate definitely has the potential to kill.

How much chocolate will kill a dog?

It doesn't even need to take that much for toxic signs to be shown.  It all depends on how much of the poisonous ingredient theobromine is in the type of chocolate eaten.  White chocolate for all intents and purposes is harmless.  It only contains tiny amounts of this substance.

Milk chocolate - it's not too bad

Milk chocolate has a small risk of poisoning.  14g of chocolate needs to be eaten per kg body weight before treatment is recommended.  This equates to 1 oz per lb body weight.  But what does that mean?

• a small 45g / 1.6oz bar of milk chocolate would only be dangerous to a pet weighing less than 3.2kg or 7lb

• a medium sized milk chocolate bar of 100g / 3.5oz is poisonous for a 7kg / 15.7lb pooch

• a large 250g / 9oz block of milk chocolate would be toxic to an 18kg / 40lb dog or lighter

If you've got a big dog then they would need to get into a big stash of milk chocolate to be in trouble.  

Dark chocolate is worse

Dark chocolate is a different story though.  This contains much higher levels of theobromine and while the amount varies, the recommendation is that if a pet eats more than 3.5g per kg body weight (or 0.055 oz per lb body weight) they need to be treated.  Dark chocolate is 4 times more poisonous than milk chocolate.

• a small 45g / 1.6oz bar of dark chocolate is dangerous for a 13kg / 28lb pet or lighter

• a medium sized dark chocolate bar of 100g / 3.5oz is poisonous for a pooch under 28kg / 63lb

• a large 250g / 9oz block of dark chocolate would be toxic to a huge 72kg / 160lb dog

Cooking chocolate and cocoa powder can be more toxic again but the number of dogs which eat this is thankfully very small.

As for white chocolate, well that contains minuscule amounts of theobromine. White chocolate is in effect harmless. Sure there might be some vomiting or diarrhea if a lot if eaten but the chance of significant poisoning is virtually non-existent.

What are the signs of chocolate poisoning?

These are average figures and some dogs may be more sensitive than others to the effects of chocolate toxicity.  This means it is important to look out for signs of poisoning even if you don't think your pet has eaten enough to be affected.  Chocolate toxicity causes a range of problems including:

• vomiting

• diarrhea

• rapid heart rate

• irregular heart beat

• abdominal bloating

• tremors

• seizures

• death

Thankfully most dog owners are very aware of the dangers of chocolate and severe, untreated poisoning is rare.  In most cases a quick trip to the vet to make them sick is all that is required but if they ate the chocolate more than a few hours previously or they ate a very large amount above the toxic dose then they may need hospitalization for closer monitoring and treatment.  Activated charcoal may also be given.  This absorbs the poison in the intestine, preventing it from being absorbed.  This is especially important with chocolate as it can stay in the gut for several days.

Cats, ever the sensible ones, can be poisoned just as easily but because they can not taste sweet things they rarely eat enough to be poisoned.

Weight of dog that will be poisoned by a chocolate bar:

Beware of sugar-free chocolate

One other chocolate product you definitely need to be aware of is sugar-free chocolate. This generally contains the sweetener xylitol (read more about xylitol poisoning) and this is horrendously toxic to dogs. It only takes a tiny amount to be deadly, causing a rapid drop in blood glucose levels and even liver failure if a dog survives for long enough.

You can read more about this in my article all about the dangers of xylitol poisoning in dogs.

If you want to learn about other poisonous foods for your pet or if to make your dog vomit then be sure to check out this article on the most common poisonous foods for dogs and cats.  

Also remember there are plenty of other poisons in the house and garden to avoid too!

In the meantime make sure your chocolate collection is well hidden and secured out of reach of your furry friend.  As well as the disappointment of finding it missing, it's loss could also mean a quick visit to your vet is needed!

If you have any questions or any topic you would like covered in future articles then please leave a comment below.  I would love to hear from you.  Also sign up to our newsletter to make sure you don't miss out on future content and allow me to continue to help you and your pet live healthier, happier lives.

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