Help, my dog ate chocolate
So, your dog ate some chocolate, did they!? Who cares what we say until you know your dog is safe! Go ahead and click the link below and head back for some advice on what to do next.
Quickly calculate how much chocolate is toxic to your dog and if you need to go to emergency!
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/multimedia/clinical-calculator/chocolate-toxicity-calculator
TREATMENT PROTOCOLS
Here is a suggestive treatment protocol of what to do if your dog eats chocolate. It is always a good idea to talk to a vet to make sure that your dog is okay after eating chocolate.
The toxic dose of chocolate will depend on how much chocolate and the kind of chocolate your dog ate.
Based on the results of the calculator, you can find our recommendations on what to do below:
This is great news! Your dog is out of the woods. They may, however, experience a mild gastrointestinal upset which includes diarrhea, vomiting, and decreased appetite over the next 12-24 hours.
Your dog ate enough chocolate to warrant making them vomit. We recommend having your dog seen by a vet to make them vomit.
If you are unable to get to a vet and be seen within 2 hours of ingestion, we recommend attempting to make them vomit, and then bringing them to the closest vet hospital for treatment.
Items you will need are peroxide (must be the 3% solution!) and a syringe (or turkey baster can work).
If your dog has not eaten anything else in the past 2 hours, get a large meal in them. The more they have in their stomach, the better it will be to get all of the toxins out.
A rule of thumb is to give 1ml for every 1 pound of body weight up to a maximum of 45mls.
For example, on average:
Small dog (Yorkie or Shih-Tzu) - 5ml
Medium dog (Beagle, Sheltie) - 15ml
Large dog (Lab, Golden Retreiver) - 45ml
Take to emergency now! They will need to be induced to vomit with an IV injection. They’ll receive some activated charcoal that will coat their intestinal tract and prevent any remaining toxins from being absorbed. Your dog will most likely need to be on IV fluids to help flush out their system.
How much chocolate is toxic to a dog?
Chocolate can be extremely toxic to dogs. The severity of the situation will all depend on the weight of your dog, the type of chocolate that they ate, and the amount of chocolate they ate. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is.
What are the signs of chocolate toxicity in dogs?
Symptoms will depend on the amount and kind of chocolate ingested. The most common clinical signs are:
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Increased thirst and urination
Restlessness
Tremors
Increased heart rate
Seizures
Collapse and death
My dog ate chocolate but is acting fine.
Your dog could’ve eaten a non-toxic dose of chocolate. Use the calculator above, to find out if the amount of chocolate your dog ate is toxic for their size.
Follow the guide above to find out if any treatment is necessary for your dog.
If you are at all concerned about if your dog ate a toxic dose, don’t hesitate, call a vet!