*Dangerous Amounts: (small dog weighing five to ten pounds can die after eating four to sixteen ounces of milk chocolate; medium-sized dog weighing twenty to forty pounds can die after eating sixteen ounces; larger dog after eating about two pounds. )
[Image]The Net.Pet Home Page Notes on Chocolate Toxicity in Dogs by Bonnie Dalzell, MA The following information is taken from: Kirk and Bistner's Handbook of Veterinary Procedures and Emergency Treatment (6th edition) (a very useful book):
Chocolate - active ingredient = theobromine:
* The half life in the dog is 17.5 hours
* The Toxic dose in the dog is 100-150 mg/kg.
o A kilogram ()kg = 2.2 lbs.
o A milligram(mg) = 1/1000 of a gram
So for a 50 lb. dog a toxic dose would be roughly 2.2 grams (2200 mg) of
pure chocolate.
However the concentration of theobromine varies with the formulation of the chocolate so:
* Milk chocolate has 44mg/oz (154mg/100gm): toxic dose for 50 lb dog - 50
oz of milk chocolate.
* Semisweet chocolate has 150 mg/oz (528mg/100gm): toxic dose for 50 lb
dog - 15 oz of semisweet chocolate
* Baking chocolate 390mg/oz (1365 mg/100gm): toxic dose for 50 lb dog - 5
oz of baking chocolate
Thus a dog eating one oz of baking chocolate would have to eat almost 3 oz of semisweet or 10 oz of milk chocolate to get the same dose of theobromine.
The theobromine in candies consisting of chocolate that is coated over some other substance - as in filled candies and chocolate coated dried fruits, etc will be
more dilute than that in pure chocolate bars and solid chocolate candies. Obviously the chocolate in milk chocolate is quite dilute and this is why many dogs can eat a piece here and there and seem not to show toxic effects, how many dogs would get ahold of 50 oz at a time? This is not true of the more concentrated forms however. Dr Sue Bank's experience was that she had two dogs, a 95 pound one and a 60 pound one. Thye got ahold of 2 one pound bags of Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate pieces (a bag each). The 95 pound dog survived but the 60 pound dog ingested a toxic dose.
The problem with feeding a dog milk chocolate as a treat is that it develops a liking for chocolate and since dogs do not seem to be as sensitive to bitter tastes as humans - it may then eat the more concentrated, and thus quite toxic, baker's chocolate if it gets a chance or it will consume a toxic amount of milk or semi-sweet chocolate if it can get into a improperly stored supply.
Treatment which is best administered by someone with medical training follows the same strategy as treatment for caffine overdose:
* Support Respiration
* Support cardiovascular function, control arrhythmias, control
electrolytes and acid-base balance.
* Control CNS excitation.
* Emesis
* Gastric lavage
* Cathartic
* Activated charcoal
Administration of an activated charcoal slurry is a major component of the
treatment and needs to be administered by a verterinarian - it is not a home
treatment.
This article is dedicated to the memory of my friend Sue Bank's Borzoi, Windhound's Jai Java.
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Dog's Weight 5lbs, milk chocolate 4 oz, unsweetened choc. 1/2 oz, approx mg of theobromine 200
Dog's Weight 10 lbs., amt of milk chocolate 8 oz, amount of unsweetened chocolate 1 oz, approx mg. of theobromine 400
Dog's Weight 20 lbs., amt of milk chocolate 16 oz, amount of unsweetened chocolate 2 1/2 oz, approximate mg. of theobromine 900.
Dog's Weight 30 lbs., amt. of milk chocolate 1 3/4 lbs, amount of unsweetened chocolate 3 1/4 oz approximate mg. of theobromine 1.300.
Dog's Weight 40 lbs, amount of milk chocolate 2 1/2 lbs, amount of unsweetened chocolate 4 1/2 oz approximate mg of theobromine 1,800.
The chart goes up to 75 lbs. If anyone wants to know the amount of chocolate for a larger dog, email me and I will send the information to you.
"The symptoms of chocolate toxicosis are many and can appear within hours, or
up to a day after ingestion. Chocolate is absorbed very slowly and stays in
the dog's stomach for a long time. As Theobromine gets into the animal's
bloodstream, the following symptoms, in order of severity, may develop:
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Diuresis (urinary incontinence)
Hyperactivity
Rapid breathing/heartbeat
Muscle tremors
Seizures
Coma
If you know your dog has eaten an amount of chocolate that could be harmful, it is not sufficient to simply induce vomiting. It is vitally important that your pet be monitored and treated by a veterinarian until the crisis has passed.
To move the poison through the dog's system at a faster rate, repeated doses of activated charcoal will be administered. The dog's heart will be monitored and medication given as needed."
It is a long article but informative, if anyone wants anymore information from it let me know. I had a dachsie that had to have her stomach pumped because she ate too much chocolate twice. Article in Dog Fancy Contributed by Judy Wade
Not long after we saved our 5 yr. old red tweenie, Otto, from his original Mom ( she just didn't have what it takes to own a dachsie), he ate a piece of onion... Onions for Otto is an absolute no_no. He developed stomach and intestinal problems. He couldn't hold down any food. Eventually he was admitted to a vet hospital and it took five days before he was back to normal. According to the vet there are some foods that dachsies shouldn't eat because they are poisionous to them.. these foods include onions and chocolate. However, he is a carrot lover and always knows when I am making beef stew. Just wanted to share this infor with everyone... C - J, Todd and Otto
One thing that learned when my 6 month old puppy Joshua's face swelled up after giving him some raw cauliflower, is to get them to the vet as soon as possible. I had given him some benadryl when he first started showing initial signs (one eye started swelling), but within an hour and a half, his entire face puffed up like a balloon. The vet informed me that if I had not brought him in when I did, for that fast - acting shot, the swelling may have continued to the point where his throat would have closed up entirely. Jeannie