Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Dogs And Chocolate

lonewolf

By lonewolf
in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff

Recommended Posts

lonewolf Collaborator
lonewolf
Posted

I know that some of you are dog experts. How poisonous is chocolate for dogs? I would NEVER allow Buddy to have chocolate, but he somehow managed to get two packs of Junior Mints off the back of the counter while no one was watching and eat them. The ripped packages on the family room floor served as conclusive evidence. I know he's not going to die, but is this going to make him really sick? He weighs about 45 pounds.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted

I think that it's usually an allergy that causes dogs to have a reaction to chocolate. This means that not all dogs will react. I believe the same thing happens with raw onions. I read that in a dog book a long time ago. Both can cause a fatal reaction, but it's not likely. Keep a look out for any warning signs and if he appears to be having a reaction, get him to the vet right away.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

I would call my vet right now. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Cottage-Soul Apprentice
Cottage-Soul
Posted
I know that some of you are dog experts. How poisonous is chocolate for dogs? I would NEVER allow Buddy to have chocolate, but he somehow managed to get two packs of Junior Mints off the back of the counter while no one was watching and eat them. The ripped packages on the family room floor served as conclusive evidence. I know he's not going to die, but is this going to make him really sick? He weighs about 45 pounds.

Chocolate can kill dogs, although I doubt your dog ate enough to do that.

I found this: "Milk chocolate: 1 ounce per pound of body weight. Approximately

one pound of milk chocolate is poisonous to a 20-pound dog;

one-half pound for a 10-pound dog. The average chocolate

bar contains 2 to 3 ounces of milk chocolate. It would take

2-3 candy bars to poison a 10 pound dog. Semi-sweet

chocolate has a similar toxic level."

You are probably okay unless your dog starts to vomit or act unusual, then I would get him to a vet.

2kids4me Contributor
2kids4me
Posted

Yes chocolate is a poison to dogs...not an allergy. It is the theobromine, and caffeine that affect them. The amount of chocolate in junior mints would not be enough to cause serious issues- because it is not solid chocolate...the center is the mint portion.

I have seen a small dog (about 12 pounds get quite sick from eating a jersey milk bar)...and labrador (75 lbs) wag his tail happily unitl we made him throw up what he ate - an entire box of tofeefay chocolate.

Do check in with your vet - and see what they say.

The amount of chocolate is also considered together with the type - pure chocolate (baking squares), semi sweet, and bittersweet are much higher in the parts toxic to dogs than say: a caramilk bar or a filled bar - snickers /mars bar etc

Mild symptoms of chocolate ingestion - diarrhea and hyperactivity...otherwise seems normal. Dog is fine within 24 hours with some soft stool for day or 2

Moderate signs - a vet should be called - nervous signs - incorodinated, stumbling, hyperactivity alternating with stupor ( not wanting to get up), diarrhea, excesive urination and drinking. Treatement would be IV fluids, drugs to combat seizures and close monitoring for cardiac arrythmia.

Severe signs - amount of chocolate varies - seizures, loss of bowel and bladder control, vocalizing along with the symptoms mentioned earlier.

I have worked emerg medicine for animals over the years and have lost one lady's dog to chocolate. The small dog had eaten squares of baking chocolate and the owner did not call the vet until the dog was comatose.

It is difficult to make a dog throw up chocolate - it forms a "ball" in the stomach, and doesnt always come back up. We do perform gastric lavage with activated charcoal in all cases where it is known the dog ingested an amount capable of causing problems.

Sandy

This means that not all dogs will react. I believe the same thing happens with raw onions. I read that in a dog book a long time ago.

Onions cause a heinz body anemia in dogs, it affects their red blood cells

Chocolate affects the central nervous system of dogs and cause neurological issues as well as dehydration from the diuretic effect

Tylenol will kill a cat in one dose - their metabolism is different and the metabolites bind the hemoglobin, making it impossible for the red blood cell to carry oxygen

grapes are considered toxic to dogs now but no one knows exactly why - they cause kidney failure.

Lillies cause kidney failure in cats if they eat the plant or parts of it.

** If I can pass on one message, it is for people to remember that dogs and cats are not little people with fur. They DO metabolize drugs differently, they do react differently to drugs and there are even breed differences. We do not administer certain sedatives to particular breeds - (atravet and boxers can cause fatal arrythmias, yet in most other breeds it is the drug of choice for pre-anesthetics) Border collies (any collie actually - are sensitive to drugs with ivermectin).

There is nothing more frustrating for me on the end of the phone at the vet clinic - when someone phones to ask if they can give a certain med ot their pet - I say no, and they respond with - what happens if I already gave it?...or a pet has been very sick for days, they bring it in and say - yeah well I gave him this drug or that drug to see if it would help. Now we have sick animal with multiple drugs on board that made the condition worse...

Totally different than accidental ingestion, but please call your vet if you are not sure about any med, whether the dog ate the ritalin or chewed on a houseplant.... or you think the cat has an abscess and want to give it leftover antibiotics...

Viola 1 Rookie
Viola 1
Posted
I know that some of you are dog experts. How poisonous is chocolate for dogs? I would NEVER allow Buddy to have chocolate, but he somehow managed to get two packs of Junior Mints off the back of the counter while no one was watching and eat them. The ripped packages on the family room floor served as conclusive evidence. I know he's not going to die, but is this going to make him really sick? He weighs about 45 pounds.

Liz, the advice to check with your vet is a good one!

I just finished doing an article about chocolate for the Kennel Club newsletter, if you wish to see a copy, PM me with your email address and I'll send it along.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,548
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Lunaluv
    Newest Member
    Lunaluv
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Taken Seriously

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      Looking for a gluten-free roomie in Denver CO

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Protein or fat?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      Diagnosed celiac for 1-2 months ago and everything makes me bloated.

      By Beverage · Posted

      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.