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To: Brytani
Even at one point getting a hold of a ziplock bag filled with 2 dozen cookies and having an evening snack while we were out. However my next-door neighbor lost her poodle this past Christmas when her dog got into some chocolate she was using to bake with. The dog was dead before they could get it into the car to the vet.

There's a reason for the difference in reaction. It takes a lot of milk chocolate, found in chocolate chips, to be harmful, but baker's chocolate is lethal even in very small doses.

We've all heard it, "Don't give your dog chocolate it will kill him". We'll how true is it you're probably wondering. Do I have to rush him to an emergency vet if he ate one of my M&M's?

The truth is chocolate contains theobromine that is toxic to dogs in sufficient quantities. This is a xanthine compound in the same family of caffeine, and theophylline.

Toxic Levels

The good news is that it takes, on average, a fairly large amount of theobromine 100-150 mg/kg to cause a toxic reaction. Although there are variables to consider like the individual sensitivity, animal size and chocolate concentration.

On average,
Milk chocolate contains 44 mg of theobromine per oz.
Semisweet chocolate contains 150mg/oz.
Baker's chocolate 390mg/oz.

Using a dose of 100 mg/kg as the toxic dose it comes out roughly as:
1 ounce per 1 pound of body weight for Milk chocolate
1 ounce per 3 pounds of body weight for Semisweet chocolate
1 ounce per 9 pounds of body weight for Baker's chocolate.

So, for example, 2 oz. of Baker's chocolate can cause great risk to an 15 lb. dog. Yet, 2 oz. of Milk chocolate usually will only cause digestive problems.

Source: Dogs and Chocolate Toxicity


87 posted on 02/15/2006 7:54:11 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
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To: HairOfTheDog

100% correct and why I tell any new dog owner to NEVER give their dog chocolate, in any form. You can not be sure about the levels of theobromine you may have, nor can you be sure how your dog will react to it.

Like I said in the previous post, why take chances?


94 posted on 02/15/2006 8:17:57 AM PST by Brytani (Democrats - destroying America since 1868)
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