Common Foods and Plants Toxic to Pets

  • Chocolate
  • Mushroom
  • Coffee
  • Grapes/Raisins
  • Fat
  • Raw eggs or Meat
  • Xylitol
  • Peaches
  • Avacados
  • Jimson Weed
  • Bread Dough
  • Mold
  • Macadamia Nut
  • Baby Foods
  • Onions & Garlic
  • Bones from Fish or Chicken
  • Raw Fish
  • Milk or Dairy Food
  • Cat Food
  • Poinsettas
  •  Lantana
  • Alcohol
  • Salt
  • Plums

Chocolate Dog Poisoning

Eating a speck of chocolate can lead a dog to crave more. 

This can mean that your dog will jump at an opportunity to get any type of chocolate, unknowing that certain chocolates are more lethal than others. Large amounts of toxic chocolate can bring about epileptic seizures in some, and will kill every dog.

Chocolate contains theobromine, a naturally occuring stimulant found in the cocoa bean that causes increased urination and affects the central nervous system, as well as heart muscle.

Symptoms of Chocolate Ingestion and Poisoning

  • Vomiting, diarrhea or hyperactivity

As time passes you’ll see an increase in the dog’s heart rate, causing arrhythmia, restlesness, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, increased urination or excessive panting.

  • This can lead to hyperthermia, muscle tremors, seizures, coma and death.

 

Lethal Doses of Chocolate

  • White Chocolate: It takes 250 pounds of white chocolate to cause signs of poisoning in a 20-pound dog, 125 pounds for a 10-pound dog.
  • Milk Chocolate: About one pound of milk chocolate is poisonous to a 20-pound dog. The average chocolate bar contains 2 to 3 ounces of milk chocolate. Semi-sweet chocolate has a similar toxic level.
  • Sweet Cocoa: One-third pound of sweet cocoa is toxic to a 20-pound dog; about 5 ounces of chocolate.
  • Baking Chocolate: Two one- ounce squares of bakers’ chocolate is toxic to a 20-pound dog; one ounce for a 10-pound dog.


Chocolate Toxicity Calculator

First Aid Tools That Should Be In Your Home

What To Do If Your Pet Ingested Something Toxic

First, call your local vet to determine what plan of action to take. It is better to be wrong and have your pet live rather than to regret not taking any action if it is indeed something serious. Depending on what was ingested, they may recommend to induce vomiting or recommend giving milk to dilute the toxin.

To induce vomiting in pets, give them household hydrogen peroxide 3% USP by mouth, using a syringe (bulb or 10cc with no needle). Do not try to pour it down their throat. Instead, pull the lips away from the side of the mouth to make a pocket, in which you will deposit the liquid. It is suggested to use 1 teaspoon per 5 pounds of the animal’s weight, to a maximum of 3 to 4 tablespoons. Before dosing, first give them a little bread or other soft food so there is something to bring up along with the stomach contents. If they have not vomited after 15 minutes, repeat the dose of hydrogen peroxide one more time.

If you think your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call the Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435. Hydrogen Peroxide is not as effective to clean wounds as antibacterial soap and water.