Why do dogs die after eating chocolate?

Jul 26,2025
4Min
Chocolate contains high fat, as well as caffeine and cocoa, which are two different types of stimulants that affect the central nervous system and myocardium of dogs. The dog's heart cannot bear such a burden, and cardiac arrest and blood vessel bursting may occur. die.

Chocolate should actually refer to dark chocolate, dark chocolate with a cocoa content of more than 35%. When people eat too much high-purity dark chocolate, they will feel their blood speed up and their heart speed up. At this time, the caffeine will act, but the dog's heart cannot bear such a burden. It should cause cardiac arrest and blood vessel burst. This is the biggest reason why dogs can’t eat chocolate.

The correct point is that dogs cannot eat natural cocoa powder and other foods that increase the burden on the heart. It is okay to eat ordinary chocolate bars and chocolate biscuits, because there is basically no cocoa content. In fact, chocolate poisoning is related to the type of chocolate. There is a direct relationship with the size of the dog. The purer the chocolate, the smaller the dog, and the greater the chance of poisoning.

The methylxanthines contained in chocolate are also the main components of theobromine and caffeine. This is the source of the danger of chocolate. For theobromine and caffeine, the lowest dose that can cause death in dogs is 100-200mg/kg. The theobromine contained in chocolate is the main factor causing poisoning in dogs. Each kilogram of chocolate contains 115 mg of theobromine, which may cause the death of a dog. Generally, pure chocolate contains about 400 mg of theobromine per ounce of 29.6 grams.

In other words, if a dog weighing one kilogram eats 9 grams of pure chocolate, it may cause death. Nowadays, more and more people like to raise small dogs. Such dogs can eat 20 to 30 grams of chocolate in the blink of an eye (most chocolates bought on the market are packaged in 60 to 80 grams), so they are poisoned. The opportunity is indeed great.

Symptoms of chocolate poisoning are: vomiting, diarrhea, frequent urination, restlessness, hyperactivity, rapid heartbeat and breathing. Severe cases can also lead to ataxia, unsteady walking, cyanosis, irregular heartbeat, spasm, and even death due to loss of cardiovascular function.

The treatment of chocolate poisoning is mainly drug support therapy. In severe cases, bladder catheterization is also required to avoid double absorption of toxins through the urethral mucosa.

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