by Dr. Laurie Noaker, DVM, DACVIM

The cute little Pomeranian puppy looked miserable. A few hours ago, she had discovered a box of chocolates. She enjoyed the chocolate so much that she ate every piece of candy; including the wrappers and a corner of the box. This little dog had eaten more candy than her own body weight. She was now really sick.

Chocolate has recently been shown to have some benefits for humans, but not for pets. Chocolate contains two substances that can be harmful: theobromine and caffeine. Baking chocolate and cacao powder are both very dangerous to pets because they contain a higher concentration of the toxins. There are even some types of mulch that are toxic of they are made with the cacao bean. To be safe, all chocolate and caffeinated products should not be given to pets.

The toxins affect the gastrointestinal, nervous and cardiac systems. The most common clinical signs are vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, panting, muscle tremors, fever and even seizures. Also, it can cause a fast heart rate, an abnormal rhythm and very high blood pressure. In severe toxic exposures, pets can die within 12-36 hours after ingestion.

Dogs are more commonly at risk due to their indiscriminate eating habits. Small dogs are at an even greater risk because of their size. some of our patients have eaten whole plates of brownies, cookies, cakes, candy bars and of course, chocolate Easter bunnies.

Treatment consists of inducing vomiting, giving activated charcoal and controlling the other clinical signs. Often, moderately affected dogs are better within 12-24 hours.

By the next morning, our little Pomeranian patient was once again a playful puppy, with no lingering effects of her experience with chocolate.

If your pet has ingested chocolate or caffeinated products, it is very important to consult a veterinarian. Early treatment will almost always save your pet’s life.

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