During the Christmas and Easter season, German households often have particularly large amounts of chocolate. The enticing scent and tempting packaging attract both people and dogs. However, it can become dangerous for dog owners if they are not careful about what and how much chocolate their pet consumes. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and can have serious consequences. On Gunfinder, you will learn how to recognize if your dog has eaten chocolate and what you should do in that case.

Why is chocolate dangerous?

Chocolate is dangerous for dogs due to the ingredient theobromine. Theobromine is a component of cocoa beans and has a stimulating effect, similar to caffeine. While humans can process this ingredient quickly, it takes dogs significantly longer. Veterinarian Sabrina Vogt explains that theobromine can accumulate in the animals' bodies, making the concentration toxic. Therefore, foods that contain cocoa are also life-threatening for dogs.

Is all chocolate dangerous?

The theobromine contained in chocolate can have a strong effect on the nervous system of dogs. The effects of the substance depend on the type of chocolate and the size of the dog. According to veterinarian Sabrina Vogt for "FirstVet", even an amount of 20-30 milligrams of theobromine per kilogram of the dog's body weight can cause poisoning symptoms. While veterinarian Henrik Hofmann explains in a post that at 100 milligrams of theobromine per kilogram of body weight, death can already occur. If the dose rises to 300 milligrams of theobromine per kilogram of body weight, the lethal dose for half of the affected dogs would be reached.

In general, the higher the cocoa content and the darker the chocolate, the higher the theobromine content and the greater the danger for the dog. A piece of chocolate usually does not harm a medium-sized dog, but if more or a whole bar of chocolate is consumed, the dog should definitely be examined by a veterinarian.

The theobromine content varies depending on how much cocoa a food contains:

• Baking cocoa powder: 14 to 26 milligrams per gram
• Dark chocolate with 90% cocoa: 26 milligrams per gram
• Bittersweet chocolate: 5 to 8 milligrams per gram
• Milk chocolate: 1.5 to 2 milligrams per gram
• White chocolate contains almost no theobromine

Cocoa powder and dark chocolate are therefore the most dangerous!

How much chocolate can a dog tolerate?

To calculate how much chocolate your dog can tolerate, you should determine your dog's weight. If you cannot accurately determine how much chocolate your dog has eaten and he is already showing symptoms of poisoning, you should see a veterinarian as soon as possible. One first aid measure that can be applied in case of poisoning is giving activated charcoal tablets. Activated charcoal helps to bind and eliminate toxins in the dog's stomach and intestines. It is also important to have an emergency supply of medical activated charcoal. Even if the dog shows no symptoms after consuming chocolate, you should still take the situation seriously and act accordingly - it is best to go to the veterinarian immediately!