Dogs and chocolate is a combination many dog owners dread. Coming home to find that the dog has gotten into the brownies, or the Halloween candy, or the Easter basket can cause panic. But just how dangerous is this to dogs? Why? And how much is too much?

Why Dogs and Chocolate Don't Mix

Chocolate (and coffee and tea) contains theophylline - a chemical that is toxic to dogs and cats - and caffeine.

The combination of theophylline and caffeine causes a number of symptoms. Some are mild, and not that different than what you'd expect if you fed a two-year old child chocolate or caffeine: increased heart and breathing rates, restlessness, hyperactivity, and overstimulation of the central nervous system.

But because dogs are much more sensitive to theophylline than humans, severe and dangerous symptoms can follow including:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Panting
• Bloating
• Increased drinking
• Muscle tremors
• Increased body temperature
• Seizures
• Coma
• Death

How much is too much?

The severity of adverse reactions depends on two factors: your dog and the type of chocolate he ingests.

Depends on the dog

If your big, hefty, adult Labrador Retriever eats a bag of M&M's, a trip to the animal hospital is probably not necessary. If a few week-old puppy eats the same M&M's, it's time to call your animal health center.

Although no amount of this sweet stuff is good for your dog, the general rule of thumb is that anything over 20 mg of theobromine or caffeine per pound of body weight is serious enough to require veterinary attention.

Keep in mind that the 20mg rule only applies to healthy dogs in the prime of life - age and health of your dog can lower his tolerance to chocolate.

Depends on the chocolate

Different typed of chocolate contain different amount of theobromine, the chemical that can be lethal to dogs.

• White chocolate contains just 1mg of theobromine per ounce.
• Milk chocolate contains 58 mg per ounce.
• Sweet coco contains 260 mg per ounce.
• Baker's chocolate contains 450 mg per ounce.

Crunching the numbers

The average adult Vizsla is about 50 pounds. If the Vizsla is healthy, he could consume 62 pounds of white chocolate and a little over a pound of milk chocolate without getting sick. However, just 3 oz of sweet coco and 2.2 oz of baker's chocolate could be lethal.

For a small dog weighing in at only 12 pounds, the thresholds are very different - just 4 ounce of milk chocolate, less than an ounce of sweet coco, and only half an ounce of baker's chocolate can cause severe health problems.

Puppies and older dogs are more sensitive to theobromine and caffeine - any amount of chocolate could be deadly.

Chocoholics

We know chocolate tastes wonderful - and once your dog has had a taste, he will think so too. Dogs that have tasted small amounts of chocolate before are more likely to go after that
chocolate cake or Easter basket.

The verdict

• It can be a fatal combination.
• Never give chocolate to your dog, no matter how much he begs.
• If he consumes some by accident or on the sly, do your best to determine how much and what kind of chocolate was eaten, and use the numbers above to determine if your dog is in danger.
• Keep your dog hydrated - dehydration can be caused by chocolate and can also aggravate the symptoms.
• If your dog develops any of the symptoms above, call the vet!

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