Chocolate is poisonous to dogs mostly because of its theobromine content, which dogs are unable to metabolize effectively. If your dog eats chocolate, you should monitor them closely and seek veterinary attention if they show any symptoms, or if they are very young, pregnant or have other health concerns. While the occasional chocolate chip within one cookie may not be an issue, we worry about certain types of chocolate – the less sweet and the darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is to your pet.
If your pet has eaten chocolate and you know the quantity and the type of chocolate, please refer to the below calculator. Make sure to select kilograms (KG) and grams (Gm) as the units to ensure the calculator works correctly.
The calculator will work out approximately how much methylxanthine (theobromine and caffeine) your pet has ingested, then tell you what symptoms to expect and whether an emergency vet visit is required.
If your pet is vomiting or has diarrhoea, seek veterinary attention immediately. If you are seeing fast or irregular heart rate, tremors, seizures or extreme hyperactivity, this is an emergency – take your pet to a vet hospital immediately.
