Chocolate

ourhunters · Post by **ourhunters** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 1:02 am

Just wondering if anyone knows how much chocolate we really would need to worry about if the dog got into it. Say, a chocolate chip cookie??? I'm a horrible mom!

Caren

Post by **Ayres** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 3:09 am

I have no idea. All I know is that I've read and heard from my vet that there's something in chocolate that is very bad for dogs.

I can't recall what it is though. I wouldn't think that a chocolate chip cookie would make a dog sick though, but be safe and err on the side of caution.

Country-Side Breeders · Post by **Country-Side Breeders** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 8:55 am

Chocolate contains a caffeine-like compound called theobromine. If a dog gets enough of this, it will trigger a seizure or a heart attack --especially if your dog is prone to epilepsy or has become overly excited.

The lethal dose depends on the size of the dog and the type of chocolate. The killer serving is approximately one ounce of milk chocolate, one-third ounce of semisweet chocolate, or one-tenth ounce of baker's chocolate per pound of dog. As an example, it would take 15 Hershey bars to be lethal to a 22 pound dog, but the Special Dark would only take 8.

If your dog ever does get into a large amount of chocolate that is near the lethal dose, stick your fingers down his throat and call your veterinarian. If you can't get ahold of him/her, feed him activated charcoal (the same stuff for fish tank filters) or extremely black burnt toast. Any theobromine that's still in his stomach will chemically bond with the carbon and be safely pooped out.

Most often times, it just makes the dog VERY hyper, in small amounts.

Post by **grant** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 10:21 am

I think I recall my vet saying that a dog would have to eat 1/3 of its body weight in chocolate for it to harm the dog. I not exactly sure on the amount, but it was a lot.

A friend who works at vets office says you can use hydrogen peroxide to make a dog hurl. So, if you just saw your dog eat a pill or something, pouring some hydrogen peroxide down its throat will make it hurl up the pill. BUT, she said to NEVER do it if your dog has swallowed something that could cause harm to the dog if it came up, like a bone.

Just found a resource about the peroxide thing online here:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2434_detect-tre ... olate.html

ourhunters · Post by **ourhunters** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 10:27 am

It upset his stomach a bit, since it he's allergic to everything, but the one choc. chip cookie it seems won't kill him. Thanks for the info. That's very helpful information knowing that it's in larger amounts and I can stop stressing.

Caren

Colleen · Post by **Colleen** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 11:09 am

I had heard that the dog either had to eat an enormous amount at once, or it could also get chocolate poisoning if it eats chocolate fairly frequently and that's it's a kind of cumulative effect. I don't know where I heard that, so you can see how reliable that info is, so I was wondering if anyone else has heard that? That theory doesn't seem compatible with the explanation Patty just gave so maybe it's an old wives' tale.

My aun't chocolate lab (oh, the irony) once ate an entire box of chocolates and was just fine.

Rubyspal · Post by **Rubyspal** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 1:27 pm

My Dad is a retired Vet and he lets his dog clean out his ice cream bowl every night that held his Spanish Sunday including chocolate sauce.... He also used to give the dogs little pieces of Hershy bar when hunting. He is just a softy and the amounts are very small.
But we remind him that he knows better.

Post by **grant** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 1:55 pm

My Dad claims not to feed my moms toy schnauzersfrom the table. He's a dog feeder also

I think he's does it so much, he doesn't realize he's doing it. Mom gives him heck aahahahaha

snips · Post by **snips** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 2:52 pm

I have used peroxide on a dog thats eaten rat poisen.....it works.

llewgor · Post by **llewgor** » Sat Oct 09, 2004 1:51 pm

springset gordons has some information about cocoa mulch. that's great information about peroxide can that work on humans?

Post by **grant** » Sat Oct 09, 2004 5:55 pm

Billy,

Give it a try, and let us know the outcome... ahahaha

llewgor · Post by **llewgor** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 12:50 am

ok Grant next time I over do it with Snickers I give it a try lol.