Dog ate chocolate?

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Dog ate dark chocolate.

Species: Dog
Breed: miniature dachshund
Age: 2-5 years
Our dog is a miniature dachshund and she just (about 30 minutes ago) ate about 20 to 30 grams of dark chocolate. What do we need to do?



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Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi William! I'm so sorry I wasn't online when you asked your question. I hope Manchi is ok!

You are right to be concerned about dark chocolate ingestion in a dog. The theobromine in the chocolate combined with the caffeine can have effects on a dog's heart that can be fatal.

I did some calculations though and whether or not Manchi will be ok depends on her weight. If she is less than 10 lbs and ate 30g of dark chocolate she can possibly have some serious cardiac effects. If she is greater than 10 lbs she will most likely just have some diarrhea and possibly vomiting.

At this point it is too late to consider inducing vomiting. Here are some symptoms to look for. Dogs with chocolate toxicity get tremors, possibly seizures and an irregular heartbeat.

You should be able to feel her heartbeat behind her left armpit. Count how many beats there are in a minute. For a small dog, if there are more than 160 beats per minute then this means that she may be suffering some effects from the chocolate. Or, if you find that the heartbeat is very irregular then this could be a bad sign.

If you are seeing a fast heart rate, tremors, extreme hyperactivity or seizures then she should see an emergency vet right away.

I hope she is ok!

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.