My dog ate chocolate — is it dangerous?
Chocolate is toxic to dogs — but how toxic depends on type, amount, and your dog's weight. Here's the fastest way to figure out if it's an emergency.
Typical risk level: 🔴 Vet now
Chocolate is genuinely toxic to dogs — but how serious depends on the type of chocolate, how much they ate, and how much they weigh. Here's how to figure out fast whether you need the emergency vet right now.
Toxicity by chocolate type (worst → mildest)
- Baking chocolate / cocoa powder — highest theobromine. Even small amounts are dangerous.
- Dark chocolate — very dangerous.
- Milk chocolate — toxic in moderate amounts.
- White chocolate — barely any theobromine, mostly a fat/sugar problem.
Rough danger threshold
A useful rule of thumb: about 20 mg of theobromine per kg of body weight can cause symptoms, and 40–50 mg/kg is serious.
- 1 oz (28g) milk chocolate ≈ 64 mg theobromine
- 1 oz dark chocolate ≈ 150–160 mg theobromine
- 1 oz baking chocolate ≈ 390 mg theobromine
So a 10 kg (22 lb) dog eating one square of dark chocolate is already in the watch zone. A small dog eating a brownie made with baking chocolate is an emergency.
Symptoms to watch for (appear 6–12 hours after eating)
- Vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst
- Restlessness, panting, pacing
- Muscle tremors, racing heart
- Seizures (severe — emergency)
🔴 What to do right now
- Note the type, how much, and when they ate it.
- Call your vet or an animal poison line. Don't wait for symptoms — the earlier they induce vomiting, the better.
- Don't try to make your dog vomit at home unless a vet tells you to.