Enter their weight, the chocolate and the amount. The answer starts with what to do.
Call your vet or an emergency clinic now.
If you cannot reach one, the Animal Poisons Helpline answers 24 hours a day on 1300 869 738. Have your dog's weight and what was eaten ready.
The dose is the theobromine your dog ate divided by their weight. A 10 kg dog that ate 100 g of milk chocolate had 100 x 2.3 = 230 mg of methylxanthines, which is 23 mg/kg. That is over the 20 mg/kg level where the reference below reports mild signs, so the advice is to call a vet now. The Animal Poisons Helpline is 1300 869 738.
| Chocolate | Methylxanthines, mg per gram | Grams to reach 20 mg/kg |
|---|---|---|
| Dry cocoa powder | 28.5 | 7 |
| Unsweetened (baking) chocolate | 16 | 13 |
| Dark or semi-sweet chocolate | 5.7 | 35 |
| Milk chocolate | 2.3 | 87 |
| Refined chocolate lollies | 2.1 | 95 |
| White chocolate | insignificant | not applicable |
| Dose | Reported |
|---|---|
| 20 mg/kg | Mild signs: vomiting, diarrhoea |
| 40 to 50 mg/kg | Effects on the heart |
| 60 mg/kg and over | Seizures |
Grams. A standard block is 100 g. A small snack bar is about 40 g. If you are not sure, use the larger guess.
Enter your dog's weight and how much was eaten. If your dog has already eaten chocolate and you are worried, do not wait for this page.
Call your vet or an emergency clinic now.
If you cannot reach one, the Animal Poisons Helpline answers 24 hours a day on 1300 869 738. Have your dog's weight and what was eaten ready.
This is general information and arithmetic. It is not veterinary advice. Speak with your vet about your own pet.
mg/kg = grams eaten x mg per gram of that chocolate / dog weight in kg
The mg per gram figures are the methylxanthine content in the table above, the higher figure where the source gives a range, because the cautious reading is the right one here.
under 20 | 20 to under 40 | 40 to under 60 | 60 and over (mg/kg)
The source reports heart effects from 40 to 50 mg/kg. This page uses 40, the lower end, for the same reason.
Chocolate is one of many everyday dangers in a home with a dog. See the Animal Poisons Helpline list of common poisons for dogs and cats.
