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This is one toxin that is not as deadly as many dog owners think. That said, it's not a good idea to feed your hound Hershey Kisses or Oreos: chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, both of which at certain doses can cause tremors, heart arrhythmias, and seizures. Because of its high fat content, chocolate also can trigger a painful bout of pancreatitis.
The level of theobromine and caffeine in unsweetened baking chocolate is ten times higher than that in milk chocolate, which makes unsweetened chocolate the most dangerous. (Semisweet chocolate contains approximately half the theobromine and caffeine of unsweetened chocolate, making it intermediate in toxicity.)
The toxic dose of unsweetened chocolate is about 3 ounces (three squares) for a 20-pound dog, about 6 ounces for a 40-pound dog, and about 9 ounces for a 60-pound dog. In practical terms, this means that if your 80-pound Lab eats half a chocolate cake, he is less likely to have heart arrhythmias and seizures than he is to vomit and have diarrhea. Call your vet if your dog eats chocolate to discuss whether treatment or monitoring in the hospital are warranted.
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