The short answer is No!Dogs and chocolate don't mix well.Chocolate contains theobromine, a chemical stimulant, which dogs are unable to
metabolise efficiently. In fact theobromine once ingested can stay in a dog's
bloodstream for up to 20 hours.Whether or not a given quantity of chocolate is sufficient to harm your dog
depends mainly on the size/weight of your dog and the type of chocolate
ingested.Toxic levels of theobromine in a dog are about 100mg/kg.Baker's chocolate contains the highest concentration of theobromine
approximately 380mg/25g, followed by the darker less sweet types of chocolate,
about 140mg/25g. Milk chocolate contains in the region of 40 mg of theobromine
per 25g.It is not therefore likely that giving a dog one chocolate sweet as a treat
would cause any major concern. My advice though, is that you simply refrain
from giving your dog any chocolate whatsoever. You really don't want to do
calculations to see how much chocolate you can safely give your dog. Do you? If
sufficient quantities of chocolate can harm a dog then in my book small amounts
wouldn't be any good for him either.
What you seriously need to guard against is leaving chocolates lying about the
house. Humans love chocolate, so it's quite reasonable to assume that many
houses have chocolates on counters, in kitchens or next to beds. Now it's also
quite probable that a dog could easily help himself, and if he had sufficient,
he could become seriously ill. In fact your dog could literally die from an
overdose of chocolate.If you suspect that your dog has consumed chocolate, you should seek advice
from a vet immediately. If for some reason you don't have immediate access to a
vet, then you should induce vomiting in the dog, as soon as possible, and at
least within two hours of ingestion.Please note though that inducing vomiting is not a solution in all cases. You
must be sure that your dog has eaten chocolate and that this is what is causing
his problem. Do not induce vomiting unless you are sure and not in the case of
convulsions, seizures or severe lethargy.
The best way to induce vomiting is by giving your dog 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds
of body weight of a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Please make sure that the
peroxide is a 3% solution, stronger and you can do your dog harm. If your dog
does not vomit, you can repeat the dose every 10 minutes up to three times. I
wouldn't recommend anymore than that.Unfortunately, sometimes you won't have hydrogen peroxide available. In such
cases try a teaspoon of salt placed at the back of the dog's tongue.Please note the above course of action is only to be used in an emergency, and
then at your own risk. I am not a vet, and although I have an interest in the
health of dogs, I have no formal training in this field and I am self-taught. I
offer the above advice only for the purpose where no other alternative is
available, and you feel that you need to follow the advice. Seeking the advice
of a vet is certainly a better course of action.
