Is it possible to give dogs chocolate, sweets, why not?

Many loving dog owners treat them like full-fledged members of the family. This leads to pets being treated to food from the common table. Most people love treats and share them with their pets. You need to know that chocolate is unacceptable in the diet of dogs, as it is, in fact, poison for them. Consuming this product may cause diarrhea, vomiting and heart attack. Even if there are no external signs of poisoning, eating it will not pass without leaving a trace on the animal’s body.

1 Mr. Tail Warns: Why Chocolate Is Bad for Dogs
2 Types of chocolate by composition
3 Toxic dose of chocolate for dogs
4 Signs of a dog being poisoned by chocolate
5 What measures to take
6 Acceptable treats

Mr. Tail Warns: Why Chocolate Is Bad for Dogs

Dogs are natural carnivores and their digestive tract is simply not designed to digest chocolate. They also do not have enough special enzymes that process sugars, fructose and other carbohydrates, which as a result leads to disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, chocolate contains some substances that are harmful to the pet's body. Among them are:

Theobromine. The elimination period of this substance is about 18 hours. It has a similar effect to caffeine, that is, it stimulates the central nervous system, which leads to increased heart rate and heart rhythm disturbances in dogs. Due to its diuretic effect, it can cause dehydration in your pet.
Sugar. Its high content in chocolate is detrimental to the pet’s pancreas; it is simply not able to cope with such an amount. This, in turn, can become a trigger for the development of diabetes. It also causes weight gain, liver and kidney failure.
Caffeine. It has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, which leads to aggressive behavior of the animal. It also causes addiction to the product.
Tannins. They lead to all kinds of gastrointestinal diseases, and also have a damaging effect on the nerve cells of the brain and spinal cord.
Various dyes and flavors. They are not always of natural origin, which leads to the formation of allergic reactions.
All kinds of additives, which include: raisins, nuts, coconut flakes, etc. The animal’s body is also unable to digest them, as a result of which they have a negative effect on the functioning of the endocrine glands.

From the author: My husband’s mother told me that she was once sitting in the veterinarian’s office, waiting for her turn. And suddenly a doctor comes out of the office, holding something like a red rat in his hand, and says: “I absolve myself of all responsibility. This puppy was fed only chocolate all his life from birth, citing the fact that he liked it.” These are the consequences of dogs eating chocolate. Unfortunately, we don’t know what happened to that puppy. But we can save our pets from our rash decisions.

How to avoid consequences

The most reliable way to avoid the consequences of poisoning is to prevent it. To do this, you need to hide the dessert as carefully as possible and monitor your pet’s behavior. Dogs are often amazingly smart, so you need to take into account all the prevailing factors: cunning, keen sense of smell and persistence of your pet. For our furry friends, it can feel like a pleasant distraction to find a coveted treat, especially when they're home alone. Your task is to predict the actions of the mischief-maker.

Even small doses of milk chocolate can be harmful to an animal's health. Regularly pampering him with small pieces of treats can cause persistent health problems:

create conditions for the occurrence of renal failure;
provoke inflammation of the pancreas - pancreatitis;
cause eye disease, accompanied by mucus secretion and severe itching;
put the condition of the skin at risk and, as a result, hair loss.

Toxic dose of chocolate for dogs

Some dog owners naively believe that giving a small piece of chocolate occasionally will be safe for their pet's health, but this is absolutely not the case. A pet can become poisoned by eating this sweet in an amount of 15 mg/kg of weight, and 100 mg/kg will lead to the death of the animal.

In addition, pets develop an addiction to this product, and they can steal the tile from the owner and eat it completely. This could end tragically. Therefore, veterinarians and experienced breeders are unanimous in their opinion - chocolate should never be given to animals.

How not to feed your pet chocolate

Well, first of all, just don’t give your dog this product, ever, in any form. Neither as a treat, nor as a reward.
Secondly, adult family members need to ensure that children do not share sweets with their pets.
Thirdly, you should not store chocolate products within your pet's sight.
Fourthly, do not underestimate your dog, many of them know how to open cabinets and even refrigerators and perform gymnastic miracles when their owners are not at home.

Chocolate must be carefully hidden from dogs

Important! If you have a dog at home, especially a small one, and you are a lover of sweets, in particular dark chocolate, this product should be kept exclusively under lock and key.

Although in veterinary practice, death after eating chocolate in dogs is rare, severe poisoning is also a high danger and stress, both for the pet and for its owners. Especially in the absence of treatment and failure to provide assistance, the consequences can be serious.

What to do? How to accept the fact that your beloved dog will never taste chocolate in his life? There is a solution - special chocolate for dogs.

Video - Products harmful to dogs

Signs of a dog being poisoned by chocolate

Symptoms of chocolate poisoning do not develop immediately, but after 3-4 hours after eating. Among the most characteristic signs of intoxication are:

increased activity, excessive excitement;
vomiting, diarrhea;
the appearance of severe thirst;
increased frequency of urination;
increased breathing;
twitching in the limbs;
confusion;
loss of orientation in space;
increased body temperature;
bloating (if the chocolate was consumed together with the wrapper, which led to obstruction of the intestinal lumen and the development of intestinal obstruction);
disturbances in the functioning of the heart.

If specialized assistance is not provided during this period, convulsions appear, then the pet falls into stupor (a pre-comatose state characterized by loss of consciousness and lack of response to stimuli) and coma. This is followed by death caused by the development of acute heart failure and failure of internal organs and systems.

Therefore, it is important to seek veterinary help at the clinic or call a specialist at home when the first symptoms of poisoning appear. Only a doctor will be able to correctly determine the severity of the pet’s condition and provide the necessary assistance, thereby saving his life.

Are other products harmful?

Theobromine, which is found in cocoa, does not lose its properties in confectionery products such as baked goods, chocolate ice cream, and cookies. But its concentration there is much less.

However, don't rush to cool your dog down with a cupcake or the contents of a waffle cone. Dogs do not metabolize glucose well. Frequent consumption of sugar affects the functioning of the pancreas, the condition of the skin, coat and teeth. The eyes and ears may also fester, and subsequently allergies and diabetes may develop.

Baking uses preservatives and dyes that are definitely not beneficial. Ice cream can cause diarrhea, as dogs are lactose intolerant.

Despite all the prohibitions, the choice of treats for dogs remains. Give your dog fruits, berries and nuts. For encouragement during training and games, it is better to purchase special chocolate for dogs in pet stores. It contains everything that is in the regular one, except for toxic substances.

So, there is all the evidence that chocolate is dangerous to the health and life of dogs. At a low dosage, sweetness will not affect the four-legged condition in any way, but chocolate cannot be given constantly. It contains sugar and preservatives that are not absorbed by the pet's body.

What measures to take

If your pet has eaten chocolate, you must immediately provide first aid without waiting for the product to be absorbed. It is important to induce vomiting. To do this, prepare one of the solutions:

From soda or salt. 1 tablespoon of dry substance is dissolved in 200 ml of water.
From hydrogen peroxide diluted 1:1 with water.

One of the prepared solutions is poured into the animal’s mouth using a syringe without a needle at the rate of 1-5 ml per kilogram of weight.

After vomiting, it is important to give absorbent agents. For example, Activated or White Carbon, Polysorb, Enterosgel, etc.

After these manipulations, it is worth showing the dog to a veterinarian to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures taken and, if necessary, carry out additional ones aimed at relieving intoxication and improving the pet’s condition.

If the fact of eating chocolate was not noticed, but the dog showed signs of intoxication, it is better to immediately seek help from a specialist. Since the above home methods may no longer be effective and more effective medications and procedures will be required.

This is interesting

Ordinary dog breeders are often perplexed by the question of giving or not giving chocolate to a dog, because it consists of plant and dairy components.

It is not natural for dogs to eat foods containing sugar; fruits themselves are extremely rare in their natural diet, and at home they should only act as a treat.

Risk factors for dogs consuming human sweets, including chocolate and candy, include:

Excess glucose leads to a banal surge in activity, indigestion, impaired liver and kidney function, diabetes and obesity.
An allergic reaction can range from rash to swelling and death.
Development of addiction. If a person is a rational being and can still restrain himself in the matter of consuming sweets, then the dog will act at the level of instincts, because human chocolate not only tastes good, but also acts as a source of fast carbohydrates, which cause addiction in the pet.

Human chocolate also contains cocoa, which contains theobromine, a plant-derived alkaloid. For animals, this is a strong toxin, which, if used frequently or in large doses, threatens the dog’s body with death.

Acceptable treats

Many dog owners want to pamper their pets with something tasty. To do this, it is better to use safe products that will not harm the health and life of the pet. Those allowed as treats include:

Pieces of fruit and berries. Can be used as a treat: apples, bananas, blackberries, raspberries, etc. But it’s better not to give grapes.
Dried fruits. They are given in minimal quantities, as they contain a high fructose content, which in large doses can disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Raisins are an exception, as they have a detrimental effect on the dog’s body. It should be excluded from the list of given treats.
Honey. If you are not allergic to this product, you can give 1 teaspoon no more than once a week.
Seeds and nuts. You can also give, but you should not do this too often, as they can lead to excess weight gain.

It is important to remember that everything is good in moderation and you should not give permitted treats in large quantities too often. After all, not all products that owners eat are safe for their pets. For example, the same chocolate that lifts the mood and is even beneficial for people is not only harmful, but also a deadly product for dogs.

How do symptoms appear, and what determines the severity of the manifestation?

The onset of theobromine poisoning is usually accompanied by extreme hyperactivity, drooling, and increased thirst. Poisoning may also be accompanied by diarrhea, elevated body temperature, rapid heartbeat and breathing. The size of the dog and the amount of theobromine contained in the chocolate eaten are of great importance. Dark, bitter chocolate contains much more of these substances than milk chocolate, which means it is more dangerous to consume. White chocolate contains the least methylxanthines (1 mg/kg), but cocoa powder contains the most (800 mg/kg). 100 g of milk chocolate contains 150–220 mg of theobromine.

The high content of theobromine in dark chocolate means that it only takes a very small amount to poison a dog: just 25 grams is enough to poison a 20kg dog.

A small amount of chocolate will probably only cause gastrointestinal upset. The dog may vomit or have diarrhea. Consuming large quantities of chocolate will have more serious consequences. In sufficient quantities, theobromine can cause muscle tremors, seizures, irregular heart rhythms, and even internal bleeding.

The average lethal dose for dogs is 300 mg/kg. Cats (and especially kittens) are even more sensitive to theobromine (average lethal dose - 200 mg/kg).

Death can occur within 6-36 hours after eating chocolate due to the development of heart failure.