Can dogs eat chocolate?
Toxic. No. Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, which dogs clear far more slowly than people do.
Work out the dose for your dog
The amount matters as much as the food. The dog chocolate toxicity calculator takes your dog's weight and what it ate and returns the dose in mg/kg, with the severity band it falls into.
Open the dog chocolate toxicity calculator →If it has already been eaten
Your own vet, or the nearest 24-hour emergency animal hospital.
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661
Have ready: your dog's weight, the exact product and how much was eaten, and the time it happened.
How much is dangerous?
Merck reports mild signs from about 20 mg/kg of methylxanthines, cardiac signs from about 40 to 50 mg/kg, and seizures from about 60 mg/kg. Darker chocolate carries far more theobromine per gram than milk chocolate.
Why it does harm
Theobromine and caffeine are methylxanthines. They block adenosine receptors and raise intracellular calcium, which overstimulates the heart and central nervous system. Dogs metabolize theobromine much more slowly than humans, so it accumulates.
Sources
What to look for
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Restlessness, hyperactivity and panting
- Increased thirst and urination
- Racing or irregular heartbeat
- Tremors and, at high doses, seizures
Timing. Usually within 6 to 12 hours, sometimes sooner.
What to do
- Work out the dose with the chocolate toxicity calculator — the type of chocolate matters more than the amount.
- Call your vet or a pet poison control line with the weight of your dog, the type of chocolate and the amount.
- Do not wait for symptoms. Decontamination works best early.
How much chocolate is dangerous for your dog’s weight?
Merck reports mild signs from about 20 mg/kg. Counted the way the chocolate calculator counts it, in theobromine, this is how much of each type takes a dog there.
| Dog weight | Milk chocolate | Dark, 70–85% cocoa | Baking chocolate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 lb | 45 g (1.6 oz) | 11 g (0.4 oz) | 5.8 g (0.2 oz) |
| 25 lb | 113 g (4.0 oz) | 28 g (1.0 oz) | 15 g (0.5 oz) |
| 50 lb | 227 g (8.0 oz) | 57 g (2.0 oz) | 29 g (1.0 oz) |
| 75 lb | 340 g (12.0 oz) | 85 g (3.0 oz) | 44 g (1.5 oz) |
| 100 lb | 454 g (16.0 oz) | 113 g (4.0 oz) | 58 g (2.1 oz) |
Double these amounts for heart effects and triple them for seizure risk. They are where signs begin in published data, not safe limits — dogs vary — so call about any amount close to them.
For your dog’s exact weight and the exact product, use the dog chocolate toxicity calculator.
Common questions
How long after eating chocolate will a dog get sick?
Signs usually start within 6 to 12 hours, sometimes sooner. Dogs clear theobromine slowly, so signs can outlast the first day. Call before symptoms appear rather than after.
Is white chocolate dangerous for dogs?
Not as a poisoning. White chocolate carries almost no theobromine, around 0.009 mg per gram against 2 mg for milk chocolate and 15.6 mg for unsweetened baking chocolate. The fat and sugar can still upset the stomach.
Is dark chocolate worse than milk chocolate?
Much worse. Dark chocolate at 70 to 85% cocoa carries about 8 mg of theobromine per gram, four times milk chocolate. Cocoa powder and baking chocolate are the most dangerous forms in an ordinary kitchen.
How much chocolate can kill a dog?
Merck gives about 62 g of milk chocolate per kg of body weight (1 oz per lb) as potentially lethal, but warns that severe signs and death can occur at much lower doses and that sensitivity varies between dogs. Dark and baking chocolate reach a dangerous dose with a fraction of that amount.