What happens if the dog eats some chocolate?

Chocolate is a food that we humans adore, there are various types: milk, extra dark, with hazelnuts, white.

But have you ever eaten a piece and see your dog with his eyes begging you for a piece? Do not be softened by your dog's eyes and avoid giving chocolate to your dog, it is a real poison for him.

Unlike us humans, dogs do not have the enzymes necessary to metabolize cocoa, in particular two substances contained in it, theobromine which has toxic effects on both dogs and cats, and caffeine. Dark chocolate is even more toxic because the theobromine level is even higher there as there is a higher percentage of cocoa than milk chocolate or white chocolate.

In the vast majority of cases, luckily, dogs do not like the bitter taste of dark chocolate, so when there are cases of intoxication they are very often due to the intake of milk chocolate, where the concentration of theobromine and caffeine is lower. This does not affect the "ban" on giving any type of chocolate to dogs.

What harm can chocolate do to dogs?

Chocolate causes side effects related to digestion: the dog takes an average of 1 or 2 days to digest it. However, if the dog accidentally takes a large amount of chocolate, there may be cases of vomiting, tremors, convulsions and diarrhea.

What do i do if my dog ​​eats chocolate?

If your dog ingests around 28 grams of chocolate per kg of dog, you must immediately take him to the veterinary emergency room as the dose could be lethal.

If you ingest less than 24 grams it is advisable to go to your vet who will most likely do a gastric lavage.

If the dog is a puppy, it is best to take him to the veterinary emergency room immediately to avoid poisoning. However, always consult your vet if your dog ingests chocolate.