Chocolate Toxicity
Why is chocolate so bad for my pet?
Chocolate contains a compound called theobromine which is toxic to pets. The theobromine comes from the cacao beans used to make chocolate. There are three components resulting from processing cacao beans – chocolate liquor (liquid), cocoa butter (fat), and cocoa powder (solid). Different types of chocolate have different levels of these ingredients and therefore different levels of theobromine. The higher the level of theobromine the more dangerous it is to your pet if consumed.
Theobromine levels (highest to lowest):
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
Semisweet & Dark Chocolate
Milk Chocolate
Chocolate flavored cakes or cookies
What do I do if my pet eats chocolate?
If you know or believe that your pet has eaten chocolate, you should determine what type of chocolate was eaten (see list above or have product information), how much (in ounces), and approximately when you think it was eaten. Then call your veterinarian’s office, veterinary emergency center, or animal poison control (see end of article for these resources). Recommendations based off the above information will determine what needs to be done for your pet.
What happens to my pet if they’ve eaten chocolate?
There are two main concerns with chocolate ingestion. One is due to the high fat content in chocolate; the second is the toxin theobromine. Chocolate can be very high in fat depending on what was eaten. A sudden high fat meal (like your pet eating a whole stick of butter) can cause a serious condition called pancreatitis. This is a metabolic condition in pets caused by an inflamed pancreas and can results in vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. This can be a reversible condition, if treated, and can be life threatening if left untreated. The ingestion of the toxin theobromine can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, tremors, seizures, racing heart rhythm progressing to abnormal rhythms, and death.
What is the treatment for my pet?
It takes nearly 4 days for the effects of chocolate to work its way out of an animals system. However, conditions caused by the ingestion can last much longer and require follow-up care. If your pet has just recently eaten chocolate (less than two hours) then vomiting can be induced to attempt to remove as much of the chocolate (and often wrappers/packaging) as possible. Your pet will also receive supportive care like hospitalization, IV fluids, and lab work to watch for effects of the theobromine. There is no quick fix for chocolate ingestion except for keeping chocolate away from your pets.
What can I do to make sure my pet doesn’t get into chocolate?
It sounds simple, just keep it out of reach, but with very ‘crafty’ pets that learn to open cupboards and doors, get into trash cans, and just do things we never thought they would, it can become a bit harder to do this. Here are a few ideas.
#1 – Do not leave chocolate at reachable levels, including lower cabinets or kitchen counters.
#2 – Keep chocolate in tight closing containers on high shelves in your pantry or a cabinet.
#3 – Do not put chocolate candy in open candy dishes that be easy tipped over or reached.
#4 – When disposing of left over chocolate or chocolate that is no longer wanted, place in tied up garbage bags in outdoor garbage cans with lids. This will prevent animals who love to explore trash from getting into the chocolate or other harmful trash.
I would like to share a bit of my own experience that helps me remember that I need to remember how important it is to think about my pets during the holiday season…
I was living in Florida at the time with my fiancé (now husband) and our four dogs. Two boxers, one American Bulldog, and one English Bulldog. It was the holiday season and I was preparing to make truck loads of cookies and treats for my friends and neighbors. I carefully planned my grocery shopping list for the ingredients and braved the holiday crowds to get everything I needed. Our agenda for the day was full, and we wanted to drop off the ingredients at the house before we went on to the next event. I quickly rushed the bags in the house and mindlessly placed them by our pantry (I’m sure can tell where this is going). We then quickly left the house again to then return several hours later to this…..
This is Celest, one of my Boxers. She found multiple bags of flour from that purchase and pulled them to various parts of the house, ripped the bags open, and spread out the flour. She wore her guilt well (the only one mind you…my three other dogs were clean as a whistle). I remember how mad, and how lucky I felt that day. Those bags were filled with various types of chocolate and other dangerous things she could have eaten. I had never left shopping bags on the floor like that, and she never got into things…all until that day. I have learned to think hard before I do something, especially over the holidays, and how it might affect my fur-babies. And yes, I do laugh about it now, but if the outcome where different it would have been a preventable tragedy.
If you have questions or if your pet has eaten chocolate, please call our office:
Coal Creek Veterinary Hospital 303-680-2200
If we are closed, please call:
Animal Emergency and Specialty Center at 720-842-5050
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 (consultation fee applies)
Written by: Jamie Davis, CVPM
