CAN DOGS EAT CHOCOLATE?

This sweet and extremely delicious treat for humans can be tremendously harmful for a canine. Yes, the rumors are true and Chocolates, in fact, are highly dangerous for a dog. The overall effect of chocolates on a dog depends on the size of the pooch and the quantity that he’s ingested. But, even a small amount of this delectable item can prove to be immensely damaging to a canine’s health and wellbeing.

But, what exactly makes a chocolate so unhealthy for a canine? Well, if we ignore all the fat content, caffeine and sugar that are present inside chocolates that are highly harmful to a canine’s health on their own, still, a substance called theobromine which is cacao alkaloid is found inside most chocolates and is one of the main reasons any canine cannot have any food items that contain chocolate inside of them. Theobromine is extremely toxic to canines and they do not metabolize this substance as well and efficiently as a human can. That’s why human beings are not that affected by ingesting chocolates as a canine would be.

But, what about different chocolates, White, Milk, Dark et cetera? It is true not all these chocolates will affect a canine in the same manner. Some might have less of an impact on a canine’s health than others. The section below describes all the harmful effects of different kinds of chocolates on a canine’s health:

• White Chocolate: While White Chocolates do contain the lowest levels of theobromine out of all the various kinds of Chocolates, still, it is not very healthy for a pooch. The high amount of sugar present inside the White Chocolate can cause diarrhea, vomiting and even pancreatitis in the canines.
• Milk Chocolates: Milk Chocolates also have the same effect on dogs as White Chocolates had. But, the amount of theobromine is more inside the Milk Chocolates when compared to white ones, therefore they are even more dangerous for the canines.
• Baking and Dark Chocolate: Both Dark and Baking Chocolate contain the highest levels of theobromine inside them. And, as we know by now, this substance is highly dangerous and toxic for the canines.

So, it is very clear, that any kind of chocolate will be not in the favor of our pooches’ health and well-being and thus it is not a good idea to feed any type of chocolate to a canine. Now let’s discuss all the potential side effects and risks that come along when a dog ingests some chocolate or any food item that is made from chocolates.

Risks of feeding Chocolates to your dogs

1. Large amounts of chocolate are extremely detrimental to a canine’s body. Because of higher levels of Theobromine, a dog may suffer from several different disorders such as internal bleeding, irregular heartbeat, seizures, muscle tremors, and even cardiac arrest. Look for these signs if your dog has ingested greater quantities of chocolates and is affected by theobromine poisoning:

• Extreme levels of Hyperactivity
• Extreme thirst
• Erratic behavior
• Constant panting

2. A small amount of chocolate is also not very desirable for a doggy’s health. It can cause serious distress to a canine’s gastrointestinal system which mostly results in diarrhea, bloating, vomiting et cetera.
3. If a dog is not affected immediately after consuming chocolates, it doesn’t mean he won’t get affected by it in the future as well. Constant ingestion of chocolate can lead to pancreatitis in the canines which means inflammation of the pancreas and that may lead to fever, dehydration, lack of appetite and even diabetes in the canines.
4. Chocolates are also highly harmful to a canine’s respiratory and circulatory system. Theobromine present inside chocolates can cause respiratory failure and cardiac arrhythmias in the canines which may prove to be fatal for the pooches.

FINAL VERDICT:

Whether it is a single piece or an entire Chocolate bar, it is very important for every dog parent to know that Chocolates are immensely harmful to a canine’s health. There are no real benefits of feeding any amount of chocolate to a dog, but, on the other hand, there are hundreds of reasons not to give this seemingly harmless food item to a canine. From short-term effects such as hyperactivity and anxiety to long-term illnesses like pancreatitis, it is not advised to feed even small amounts of chocolate to a pooch. But, if your dog accidentally ingests some chocolate on its own, then the best step you can take is to induce vomiting in your canine and immediately call up your pet doctor or veterinarian. Feeding chocolates to a pooch is seriously a matter of life and death for the canines and thus, it is highly recommended to all the pet parents never to feed their pooch any amounts of chocolate in any shape or form.