Dog Chocolate Toxicity Tool
Find out if your dog ate a dangerous amount of chocolate and get clear guidance on what to do next.
This is NOT a substitute for veterinary care. If your dog ate chocolate, contact your vet immediately. This tool helps you triage the situation but cannot replace professional medical advice.
Why is chocolate toxic to dogs?
Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, two methylxanthines that dogs metabolise much more slowly than humans. This slow breakdown causes theobromine to accumulate to toxic levels, affecting the heart, kidneys, and central nervous system.
Which chocolate is most dangerous?
The darker and purer the chocolate, the more theobromine it contains. Cocoa powder and baker's chocolate are the most dangerous. Milk chocolate is the most common culprit because it is widely available, but even small amounts of dark chocolate or cocoa powder can be lethal to small dogs.
- Cocoa powder: ~28.5 mg theobromine/g — highest risk
- Baker's chocolate: ~16 mg/g — very high risk
- Dark chocolate (70%+): ~5.7 mg/g — high risk
- Milk chocolate: ~2.4 mg/g — moderate risk
- White chocolate: ~0.009 mg/g — negligible theobromine
What are the signs of chocolate poisoning?
Symptoms usually appear 6–12 hours after ingestion and can last up to 72 hours. Early signs include vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, and excessive urination. Severe cases involve muscle tremors, seizures, and heart arrhythmia.
What should I do if my dog ate chocolate?
Use this tool to assess the risk, then contact your vet immediately, especially if any symptoms appear or the calculated dose is above 20 mg/kg. If ingestion occurred within the last 2 hours, your vet may be able to induce vomiting to prevent further absorption.
FAQs
Theobromine toxicity depends on the dose (mg/kg of body weight) and the type of chocolate. Mild symptoms can appear at 20 mg/kg. Severe symptoms occur above 40–60 mg/kg and can be fatal above 100–200 mg/kg. For a 10 kg dog, as little as 70g of dark chocolate could reach the mild-risk threshold.
Symptoms typically appear 6–12 hours after ingestion. They include vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, increased urination, panting, muscle tremors, and in severe cases, seizures and heart arrhythmia. Symptoms can persist for up to 72 hours.
Use this tool to assess the risk level, then contact your veterinarian immediately. If ingestion happened within the last 2 hours, your vet may induce vomiting to reduce absorption. Do not induce vomiting at home without veterinary advice. For severe cases, go to an emergency animal clinic right away.
White chocolate contains negligible amounts of theobromine (around 0.009 mg/g), so it is unlikely to cause theobromine toxicity. However, it is high in fat and sugar, which can still cause pancreatitis and gastrointestinal upset. Always contact your vet to be safe.
Yes, with prompt veterinary treatment most dogs recover fully from chocolate poisoning. The key is acting quickly — the sooner treatment starts, the better the outcome. There is no specific antidote; treatment focuses on preventing absorption and managing symptoms.
