While the average American eats 11 pounds of chocolate a year, dogs and cats can become extremely ill and even die from eating chocolate.

We see chocolate toxicity primarily in dogs, and most often around the holidays. The toxic compounds in chocolate are theobromine and caffeine. Clinical signs usually occur 6-12 hours after ingestion.  Initial signs include excessive thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, and restlessness. Signs progress to hyperactivity, ataxia, tremors, and seizures.  Death is usually caused by heart or respiratory failure.

The toxicity of different chocolates varies widely.  The general rule is the more bitter the chocolate, the more toxic it can be. Unsweetened baking chocolate contains almost 7 times more toxins than milk chocolate.  The effect of chocolate is dose dependent.  A 100 pound Lab requires 10 times as much chocolate to be toxic as does a 10 pound poodle.

If your pet accidentally ingests chocolate, please call your veterinarian immediately.  If the situation is identified before clinical signs occur, often inducing vomiting will prevent the pet from becoming ill.