# What happens physiolgically to dog eating chocolate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 9, 2001, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-physiolgically-to-dog-eating-chocolate/71823 "2001-07-09T14:01:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2001, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-physiolgically-to-dog-eating-chocolate/71823/1 "2001-07-09T14:01:50Z")
What I’m wondering is what happens physiologically to a dog eating chocolate that doesn’t happen to a human eating chocolate. Why is chocolate harmful to dogs, but not to people? What goes biochemically wrong within the canine system when chocolate is introduced? Can any other mammals eat chocolate safely–simians, maybe? How about birds or reptiles? Can a pet iguana survive a chocoalte binge? ---
**Author:** ![davesink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@davesink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davesink)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2001, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-physiolgically-to-dog-eating-chocolate/71823/2 "2001-07-09T14:13:00Z")
FWIW Whenever I hear the stories of chocolate being harmful/fatal to dogs, I’m reminded of an Easter morn long ago when our family mutt, shortly after puppyhood, ransacked our Easter baskets and ate all the chocolate bunnies. She lived a long and healthy life thereafter and never seemed to be adversely affected. Maybe she was lucky or maybe it was a type of chocolate lacking the essential “dog killing” ingredient. BTW she also loved ice cream and, not knowing we were doing any harm, used to give her a little scoop whenever we had some. Again, no adverse effects, just a happy dog. ---
**Author:** ![micco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f8ce5/32.png) [@micco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/micco)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2001, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-physiolgically-to-dog-eating-chocolate/71823/3 "2001-07-09T15:10:18Z")
IANAV, but I believe the problem with giving chocolate to dogs and other small animals is that the stimulants in the chocolate (caffeine and theobromine) may cause heart failure. It’s not a poison per se, but it’s fairly easy to over-stim the little mutts. Of course, some dogs eat chocolate and don’t die, but the exception is not proof of safety. Many amphetamine addicts live long and happy lives, but too much crank will make you pop like a balloon. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2001, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-physiolgically-to-dog-eating-chocolate/71823/4 "2001-07-09T15:48:15Z")
Our little dog Benji used to routinely steal chocolate. We’d find the wrappers of those little mini-bars behind the couch. The late great springer spaniel Miss Emily Kimberly died as an indirect result of eating chocolate. She got into a can of unsweetened cocoa powder one Friday night while we were away. The chocolate itself did not harm her – we don’t think she actually ate much, and she merely had a queasy tummy and rather fudgy-looking poops the next day – but she cut her gum on the metal rim of the can and got an infection that went to her heart. She seemed fine for a week after getting into the cocoa, but was ill the following Sunday and died that night. ☹ The vet said her symptoms were classic heart failure. We have a new rule at our house: nobody canine gets even a whiff of chocolate – and the cocoa powder is now on a high, enclosed shelf instead of a low, open one. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2001, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-physiolgically-to-dog-eating-chocolate/71823/5 "2001-07-09T18:40:36Z")
**micco** is right that it’s the caffeine and theobromine. It looks like a 50-pound dog could eat 7 pounds of **milk chocolate** before it’s likely to be lethal, but less than one pound of **unsweetened chocolate** would likely kill it. [http://members.aol.com/busher9518/POISON.HTM](http://members.aol.com/busher9518/POISON.HTM) ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2001, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-physiolgically-to-dog-eating-chocolate/71823/6 "2001-07-09T19:04:04Z")
Amber, my mother’s cocker spaniel when I was a small child, ate an entire Whitman’s Sampler one Christmas and, IIRC, felt no ill effects. No, that didn’t kill her - my mother did by backing over her when Amber, who had grown deaf as a stone didn’t hear the car start. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2001, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-physiolgically-to-dog-eating-chocolate/71823/7 "2001-07-09T19:42:44Z")
**Bibliophage** , thanks for the great link! Good extra info on the general dangers of caffeine to pets. From that link, the following detailed info: > [@](#): > > **Chocolate and Caffeine** > > Toxins can also be found in foods that we eat regularly. Dogs are susceptible to chocolate toxicity if they eat more than 100 mg per pound of body weight. **It is the theobromine in chocolate that causes toxicity in dogs.** As a reference point, there are 45 mg of theobromine in an ounce of milk chocolate and 400 mg per ounce in pure unsweetened (bakers) chocolate. So you don’t need to panic if your 100 lb. German Shepherd eats a plate of chocolate chip cookies (the cookies may make him nauseous but no more than if we ate an entire batch of cookies) - however, if your 15 lb. poodle eats the same batch of cookies he’s going to be a very sick puppy! Symptoms of chocolate toxicity are nervousness, vomiting, shaking, and sometimes a condition referred to as ‘hyperesthesia’ which means overreacting to noises, touch, lights, etc. The combination of the theobromine and the caffeine is what causes the symptoms. Dogs can also get caffeine toxicity. This is less common but not less dangerous. Some dogs will eat anything that doesn’t eat them first, and have been known to chow down on coffee bean hull mulch or tear into a bag of coffee beans or ground coffee and eat it all (including the bag). Caffeine toxicity symptoms are the same as chocolate toxicity. If you catch your dog eating chocolate or coffee grounds, the best thing to do is make him vomit before the toxins have a chance to cause symptoms. If he is allowed to absorb the theobromine/caffeine and develops symptoms he will have to go to the vet, maybe have his stomach pumped, and spend some time on IV fluids to flush it out of his system. (The most expensive box of chocolates you never ate.) ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-physiolgically-to-dog-eating-chocolate/71823/8 "2001-07-09T19:54:55Z")
Most domestic animals are more sensitive to the effects of theobromine in chocolate than people are. It is because they metabolize this compound more slowly, so it builds up. Dogs are especially sensitive. Theobromine is related to caffeine and theophylline and raises blood pressure, heart rate and respiration rate. The following is from “The Handbook of Small Animal Practice” by Dr. Rhea Morgan. "The toxic dose of theobromine is about 100 to 150mg/kg. Milk chocolate contains 6mg of theobromine per ounce. Semi-sweet chocolate contains about 22mg/oz. and baking chocolate about 35 to 45mg/oz." Hershey’s has a table on their website stating how much theobromine is in some of their products: [http://www.hersheys.com/consumer/nutrition/theobromine/index.html](http://www.hersheys.com/consumer/nutrition/theobromine/index.html) A mention of reports of horses dying from theobromine poisoning are listed on this site: [http://www.apogeecomgrp.com/drkevin/chocolate.html](http://www.apogeecomgrp.com/drkevin/chocolate.html) I’ve never heard of a cat being poisoned by chocolate, but cats seem to have more sense just in general not to eat things they shouldn’t (with the possible exception of plants). As for reptiles and birds, I imagine it would be difficult to get them to eat chocolate too. I can tell you as a former bird owner, though, that they are extraordinarily sensitive to environmental toxins, particularly airborne ones. The fumes from cleaning products can kill a bird, while not outwardly harming you, your dog or your cat. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2001, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-physiolgically-to-dog-eating-chocolate/71823/9 "2001-07-09T20:40:24Z")
Its probably a good idea to add a link to Uncle Cecil’s column on this subject–[Is chocolate toxic to dogs?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_211.html) This column also appears in _Triumph of the Straight Dope_, along with an official illustration by Mr. Slug. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2001, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-physiolgically-to-dog-eating-chocolate/71823/10 "2001-07-09T20:48:50Z")
Thanks for the reminder, **whitetho**. I remembered Cecil’s article, but did not remember the amount of detail he went into. I remembered (incorrectly) that he had only glossed over it. I was interested in this question at a very detailed level – plus I was interested in the effects of chocolate on other animals. **Romansperson** has pitched in on that last part. Thanks for the responses, all! ---
**Author:** ![Gaspode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gaspode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaspode)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2001, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-physiolgically-to-dog-eating-chocolate/71823/11 "2001-07-09T22:44:18Z")
> [@](#): > > What happens physiolgically to **dog eating chocolate?** I hope this stuff never gets to Oz. We already have man-eating sharks, baby-eating dingoes and bird-eating spiders. The last thing we need is dog-eating chocolate.