A DOG SAFE VALENTINE'S DAY

Even though Valentine's Day is a holiday of romance, roses 

and chocolate, it is important that you keep the health and 

welfare of your puppy in mind.  The biggest health challenge 

for dogs during the holiday of love is the abundance of 

chocolate candy.  Did you know that chocolate poisoning 

is the second most common cause of accidental poisonings 

for dogs?   Chocolate contains the chemical theobromine. 

This chemical is found in the cocoa fat component of 

chocolate and acts as a stimulant within the dog's system.  

Small dogs can be poisoned from smaller amounts of 

theobromine than large dogs.  

1 and ½ ounces of dark chocolate or Baker's Chocolate can be 

a lethal dose for a small dog.   Each variety of chocolate 

has a different level of theobromine.  White chocolate has 

the least amount of theobromine, about 1 mg per ounce.   

Milk chocolate, the most common kind of chocolate, contains 

65 milligrams of theobromine per ounce, semisweet chocolate 

contains 165 mgs and baking chocolate has about 400mg. 

When you or your dog eats chocolate, the theobromine is 

rapidly absorbed from the stomach and intestines into the 

bloodstream.  It's carried to all parts of the body and 

is eventually metabolized by the liver and then eliminated 

in the urine.  

Unfortunately, dogs have a very difficult time

 metabolizing theobromine; it takes approximately 15 to 20 

hours for a dog to eliminate one-half of the theobromine 

consumed from its body.   However, it only takes 5 hours for 

your body to dump the excess theobromine from your system.  

Theobromine, like caffeine, acts as a stimulant. It directly 

affects the heart and can cause an extreme increase in heart 

rate, an increase in blood pressure, as well as 

irregularities in the heart rhythm. This is why people 

find chocolate so irresistible, chemically it mimics 

the feeling of infatuation by causing rapid heartbeat, 

hyperactivity, flushing of the skin. Chocolate makes us 

feel like we are in love.

Unfortunately, the canine central nervous system is  

negatively stimulated by theobromine. Excessive chemical 

stimulation can result in nervousness, restlessness, 

insomnia, tremors, and even seizures.  Stimulation of the 

central nervous system can increase respiration, increase 

panting, and induce nausea, and vomiting.  Theobromine acts a 

diuretic causing large amounts of body fluid are lost by urination, 

which can lead to dehydration.

Within two to three hours of consuming a toxic dose of 

chocolate, the dog will appear excited, agitated or nervous; 

may exhibit polydipsia; and may vomit.  Within 8-10 hours, 

the dog may be extremely hyperactive, have difficulty walking,

 may develop seizures and ultimately may fall into a coma 

and die.  Watch for the following symptoms of chocolate 

poisoning: 

• Excessive drooling
• Excessive urination
• Pupil dilation
• Excessive panting
• Rapid heartbeat
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Pale gums
• Hyperactivity
• Muscle tremors and seizures

So what do you do if you find that your dog has gotten 

into your gift basket of chocolate?  If your dog consumed 

only a small amount of white or milk chocolate, he may not 

require treatment.  Any dog that is exhibiting symptoms of 

chocolate toxicosis must be treated immediately.  Treatment 

usually involves the administration of emetics, to make the 

dog vomit; activated charcoal, to bind theobromine in the 

stomach and limit its reabsorption into the bloodstream; 

intravenous or subcutaneous fluids prevent dehydration, and 

sedatives such as valium, to control seizures. 

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure during the 

most romantic time of the year, Valentine's Day. If you 

follow the following guidelines, you will be able to 

protect your dog from temptation.  

Always place chocolate 

on a high counter, in a cabinet or in the refrigerator.  

If you are a pet parent that likes to share your goodies 

with your dog, purchase some dog friendly Valentine treats 

such as carob cookies or carob candy especially made for the 

canine body. If you are having a party at your house make 

sure that all liquor and chocolates are placed on a high 

counter or are always under the watchful eye of a sober 

bartender.  Most importantly double check your kitchen 

and eating floor and counter for any forgotten chocolate 

contraband before you turn in for the night.