Home Food & Nutrition # Can Dogs Eat Chocolate? An Anti-Poisoning Guide The Woof & Beyond Team Updated January 15, 2021 3 min read Not veterinary advice ![](https://www.woofandbeyond.com/static/266bad7d39ae3459bd5ea1372f12621b/5e493/image.jpg) ❌ No. **Chocolate is highly toxic to dogs. Although some kinds of chocolate like white chocolate are safer than others, they are still bad for dogs.** Your dog should avoid consuming any product made from the cocoa plant. This includes milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and most other chocolate types. ## Why Is Chocolate Bad for Dogs? Chocolate and other cocoa products contain chemical compounds called theobromine and caffeine. These chemicals [can be beneficial to us humans](https://tcho.com/blogs/news/8-potential-health-benefits-of-the-theobromine-found-in-chocolate), but dogs’ digestive systems cannot process them effectively. If a dog ingests them, it can cause a build-up of toxins that can lead to severe side effects even in small doses. ## What Happens if a Dog Eats Chocolate Chocolate poisoning symptoms can vary mostly due to a dog’s weight and overall health condition. Older dogs or dogs suffering from an existing health condition may be at greater risk. They can often develop worse symptoms or complications than perfectly healthy dogs. Symptoms may take approximately [6 - 12 hours](https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/what-to-do-if-your-dog-ate-chocolate/) to develop and can last for a couple of days. ### Potential Symptoms Of Chocolate Poisoning In Dogs Dogs will start experiencing worse and worse symptoms. The severity of those symptoms depends on the amount of theobromine they consume per pound of their body weight: - **Less than ~3 mg/lbs** (~6 mg/kg): **No Toxicity** - No symptoms are likely to develop. - At **~3 - 7 mg/lbs** (~6-15 mg/kg): **Mild Toxicity** - Diarrhea - Shaking - Vomiting - Hyperactivity - At **~7 - 15 mg/lbs** (~15-33 mg/kg): **Mild-Moderate Toxicity** - Tremors - Elevated heart rates - Heart arrhythmias - At **~15 - 23 mg/lbs** (~33-50 mg/kg): **Moderate-Severe Toxicity** - Hyperthermia - At **~23 mg/lbs** (~50 mg/kg) and Higher: **Severe Toxicity** - Seizures - Collapse - Death > We derived the data above from [PetMD’s calculator](https://www.petmd.com/dog/chocolate-toxicity). ### Theobromine In Different Types Of Chocolate Every chocolate type has a different amount of theobromine. The values below are only approximations and can change due to cocoa’s sources, variety, and growing conditions ([PetMD](https://www.petmd.com/dog/chocolate-toxicity)): - Baking Chocolate: ~**367 mg/oz** (~13 mg/g) - Dark Chocolate (70-85% Cocoa): ~**227 mg/oz** (~8 mg/g) - Semisweet Chocolate Chips: ~**150 mg/oz** (~5 mg/g) - Cocoa Powder: ~**142 mg/oz** (~5 mg/g) - Milk Chocolate: ~**44 mg/oz** (~1.5 mg/g) - Peanut M&M: ~**31 mg/oz** (~1 mg/g) - Single Peanut M&M: ~**2.2mg** (weighs ~0.07 oz / ~2g) - White Chocolate: ~**0.25 mg/oz** (~0.01 mg/g) ## How Much Chocolate Can a Dog Eat? ![sick dog](https://www.woofandbeyond.com/static/18f2f933965e94d34fb44441c822a6a1/a2510/sick_dog.jpg) It would be best if you can avoid feeding any amount of chocolate to your dog. However, you cannot control and supervise your canine 100% of the time. Up to ~3 mg of theobromine consumed per pound of (your dog’s) weight is considered safe. Your dog will likely start experiencing adverse symptoms and be in potential danger if he ingested any amount higher than that. ### Consumption Limits Before Symptoms Show Up For a quick assessment of safe consumption, we’ll use the number of [Peanut M&Ms](https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/generic/mandms-peanut-chocolate-candies?portionid=27079&portionamount=1.000) consumed instead of ounces. A single Peanut M&M contains ~2.2 mg of theobromine, which means that: - A _small dog_ that weighs **10 lbs** (4.5 kg) could eat up to ~**13** single Peanut M&Ms before symptoms show up (~30 mg of theobromine consumed). - A _medium dog_ that weighs **35 lbs** (15.8 kg) could eat up to ~**47** single Peanut M&Ms before symptoms show up (~105 mg of theobromine consumed). - A _large dog_ that weighs **80 lbs** (36.3 kg) could eat up to ~**109** single Peanut M&Ms before symptoms show up (~240 mg of theobromine consumed) - A _giant dog_ that weighs **120 lbs** (54.4 kg) could eat up to ~**163** single Peanut M&Ms before symptoms show up (~360 mg of theobromine consumed) You can also use [this specially made calculator](https://www.vets-now.com/dog-chocolate-toxicity-calculator/) to calculate the toxicity levels for you. ## What To Do If Your Dog Ate Chocolate Immediately call your veterinarian, out of hours, or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) for advice. If your dog consumed more than ~**3 mg** of theobromine per pound of dog weight, he may be in danger of life-threatening symptoms. If you don’t know the exact amount ingested, it is always good to consult with a professional vet. The professionals may ask you to [induce vomiting](https://www.thesprucepets.com/how-to-make-puppies-vomit-2804765) or bring your dog to the clinic to monitor and treat him for the poisoning if necessary. In some more severe cases, your dog will need to be monitored overnight at the clinic. ### Treatments the Vet May Use To Treat Your Dog for Chocolate Poisoning Veterinarians at [PetMD](https://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/4-types-chocolate-and-how-they-impact-dogs) say these are the possible treatments for chocolate poisoning: - **Activated charcoal** to reduce and prevent any more absorption of the toxin. - **Intravenous fluids** to hydrate your dog and support the heart. - **Passage of a stomach tube** to clear toxins from the stomach. - **Other therapies** for other symptoms your dog may be experiencing. _Chocolate is only one of the foods dogs can’t eat. See the full list [here](https://www.woofandbeyond.com/foods-dogs-can-and-cant-eat)_. This is not a substitute for advice from a vet who can examine your dog. Food Safety Previous Why Do Dogs Like Belly Rubs? Next How Much Do Dogs Sleep? On this page 1. [Why Is Chocolate Bad for Dogs?](https://www.woofandbeyond.com/can-dogs-eat-chocolate/#why-is-chocolate-bad-for-dogs) 2. [What Happens if a Dog Eats Chocolate](https://www.woofandbeyond.com/can-dogs-eat-chocolate/#what-happens-if-a-dog-eats-chocolate) 3. [How Much Chocolate Can a Dog Eat?](https://www.woofandbeyond.com/can-dogs-eat-chocolate/#how-much-chocolate-can-a-dog-eat) 4. [What To Do If Your Dog Ate Chocolate](https://www.woofandbeyond.com/can-dogs-eat-chocolate/#what-to-do-if-your-dog-ate-chocolate) People also ask Foods Dogs Can and Can't Eat How Many Cups Are in a Pound of Dog Food? ## Other questions about food & nutrition The ones people read straight after this. Food & Nutrition ### [Foods Dogs Can and Can't Eat](https://www.woofandbeyond.com/foods-dogs-can-and-cant-eat/) Food is one of the ways humans express love. 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