- No, dogs must NOT eat chocolate
- It contains toxic theobromine
- The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous
No: chocolate is toxic to dogs and sits right at the top of the list of foods dogs must not eat. The active compound theobromine can barely be broken down by dogs and damages the heart, nerves and kidneys. Every type is dangerous, especially dark chocolate.
Why chocolate is toxic to dogs
Like caffeine, theobromine belongs to the methylxanthine group. Dogs metabolize theobromine much more slowly than humans do: in dogs the half-life is around 17 hours. As a result, the compound builds up in the body and becomes dangerous.
Theobromine content by type:
| Type of chocolate | Theobromine per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Cocoa powder / baking cocoa (unsweetened) | about 2630 mg |
| Dark chocolate (70–85%) | about 800 mg |
| Bittersweet chocolate | about 515 mg |
| Semisweet chocolate | about 490 mg |
| Milk chocolate | about 205 mg |
| White chocolate | very little (about 1 mg), but not safe |
First poisoning symptoms appear from about 20 mg of methylxanthine (theobromine and caffeine) per kg of body weight. For a dog weighing 10 kg, that already corresponds to about 30 g of bittersweet chocolate.
Symptoms of poisoning
Vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, trembling, a raised heart rate and seizures. Symptoms appear 6 to 12 hours after eating. In severe poisoning, cardiac arrhythmias and death can occur.
Toxic dose and thresholds
First symptoms appear from about 20 mg of methylxanthine (theobromine and caffeine) per kg of body weight. From about 60 mg per kg it becomes life-threatening.
Critical amounts by body weight (dark/bittersweet chocolate, based on about 600 mg methylxanthines, i.e. theobromine plus caffeine, per 100 g, as in the chocolate calculator):
- Small dog (5 kg): symptoms possible from about 15 g, life-threatening from about 50 g
- Medium dog (15 kg): symptoms possible from about 50 g, life-threatening from about 145 g
- Large dog (30 kg): symptoms possible from about 100 g, life-threatening from about 295 g
With milk chocolate (about 205 mg per 100 g) the critical amounts are roughly 2.5 times higher; with baking cocoa (about 2630 mg per 100 g) they are about five times lower. There is no safe dose. For any amount eaten, contact your vet and tell them the type, the amount and the time. With the chocolate toxicity calculator you can quickly work out how much theobromine was consumed. Read more in the article Poisoning in dogs.
Related topics
Quick check
Question 1 of 3How long does a dog's body need to break down half the theobromine it ingested?
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