Some dogs show no issues after ingesting chocolate, without even experiencing adverse reactions. Does this mean they’re eating fake chocolate? Or maybe they’re not dogs at all?
Chocolate is poisonous to dogs
Why is something so delicious to humans deadly to dogs? The answer lies in two compounds found in chocolate: caffeine and theobromine, both of which belong to the methylxanthine family.
Methylxanthines are key to chocolate poisoning in dogs
These substances bind to certain receptors on cell surfaces, preventing natural compounds in animals from attaching to those receptors. In dogs, even small doses of methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhea, while in humans, they induce feelings of euphoria.
How much chocolate can poison a dog?
A dog’s reaction to chocolate depends on its body weight and the amount of methylxanthines ingested. The darker the chocolate, the higher the methylxanthine content. For example, a St. Bernard may be fine after eating a piece of white chocolate, while a small dog like a toy poodle could go into shock from just a tiny bite of dark chocolate.
- Mild to moderate poisoning occurs when a dog ingests 9 to 20 mg/kg of body weight of methylxanthine.
- Severe poisoning occurs when a dog ingests 40 mg/kg of body weight of methylxanthine.
How to identify the methylxanthine content in chocolate
Here is a breakdown of methylxanthine content in different types of chocolate per 28 grams (1 ounce):
- White chocolate: 1.1 mg
- Milk chocolate: 64 mg
- Dark chocolate: 150 mg
- Semi-sweet chocolate: 160 mg
- Unsweetened chocolate: 440 mg
- Cocoa beans: 600 mg
- Cocoa powder: 807 mg
- Cocoa shells: 225 mg
A small dog weighing less than 10 pounds can be poisoned by eating about 200 grams of white chocolate. While this may not seem too alarming, if the dog eats just 4 grams of cocoa powder, it can be fatal.
Why do some dogs seem unaffected by chocolate?
In some cases, the amount of methylxanthine the dog ingests is not enough to be life-threatening. Another important reason is that some dogs may consume chocolate with very low purity, meaning the levels of caffeine and theobromine are too low to cause significant harm.
