Dog Chocolate Toxicity Meter
If your dog ate chocolate, contact your emergency vet immediately.
Use our calculator to learn how it will affect your dog.
What Should I Do if My Dog Ate Chocolate?
If you think your dog has eaten chocolate, or if they have any of these symptoms, contact the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 or your veterinarian or emergency vet right away:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Increased body temperature
- Increased reflex responses
- Muscle rigidity
- Rapid breathing
- Increased heart rate
- Low blood pressure
- Seizures
- Advanced signs (cardiac failure, weakness, and coma)
Keep in mind, with any poisoning, it’s always cheaper, less invasive, and has a better prognosis/outcome if you treat early. If your dog has already developed clinical signs associated with chocolate toxicity, the veterinarian visit may be more expensive, and the outcome may be worse.
If your dog has already developed clinical signs associated with chocolate toxicity, the veterinarian visit may be more expensive and the outcome may be worse.
Common Chocolate Sources:
Ice Cream Rich Chocolate
Serving: 1 cup ( 148g)
Theobromine: 178mg
Caffeine: 5.9mg
KIT KAT Wafer Bar
Serving: 1 bar (42g)
Theobromine: 48.7mg
Caffeine: 5.9mg
Peanut M&M's
Serving: 1 cup (170g)
Theobromine: 184mg
Caffeine: 17mg
REESE'S Peanut Butter Cups (2pk)
Serving: 2 cups (45g)
Theobromine: 32.4mg
Caffeine: 3.2mg
Ready to Eat Chocolate Pudding
Serving: 4 oz (108g)
Theobromine: 75.6mg
Caffeine: 2.2mg
Doughnut, cake-type, chocolate, sugared or glazed
Serving: 1 Doughnut (3' dia) (43g)
Theobromine: 12.6mg
Caffeine: 0.6mg
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar
Serving: 1.55 oz (43g)
Theobromine: 64mg
Caffeine: 9mg
Chocolate Chip Cookies , made with margarine
Serving: 1 Cookie Med (2 1/4" dia) (16g)
Theobromine: 20.3mg
Caffeine: 2.6mg
Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
Serving: 2 Tbsp (39g)
Theobromine: 64mg
Caffeine: 5mg
Milky Way
Serving: 1 bar (58g)
Theobromine: 37.1 mg
Caffeine: 3.5mg
Hershey's KISSES (Milk Chocolate)
Serving: 9 pieces (41g)
Theobromine: 61mg
Caffeine: 9mg
Generic Hot Fudge Sundae Topping
Serving: 1 Sundae (158g)
Theobromine: 77.4mg
Caffeine: 1.6mg
Hershey's Semi-Sweet Baking Bar
Serving: 1 Tbsp (15g)
Theobromine: 55mg
Caffeine: 7mg
REESE'S PIECES Candy
Serving: 1 package (46g)
Theobromine: 0mg
Caffeine: 0mg
Cookies, brownies, commercially prepared
Serving: 1 Square (2 –3/4" sq x 7/8") (56g)
Theobromine: 43.7mg
Caffeine: 1.1mg
aThe amount of caffeine and theobromine will vary naturally due to growing conditions and cocoa bean sources and variety.
Foods Highest in Theobromine
| Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, processed with alkali (Dutch cocoa) | 1 cup (86g) | 2266 mg | 67.1 mg |
| Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares | 1 cup, grated (132g) | 1712 mg | 106 mg |
| Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened | 1 cup (86g) | 1769 mg | 198 mg |
| Baking chocolate, unsweetened, liquid | 1 oz (28g) | 447 mg | 13.2 mg |
| Puddings, chocolate flavor, low calorie, regular, dry mix | 1 Package (40g) | 238 mg | 7.2 mg |
| Desserts, rennin, chocolate, dry mix | 1 Package, 2 oz (57g) | 242 mg | 7.4 mg |
| Puddings, chocolate flavor, low calorie, instant, dry mix | 1 Package, 1.4 oz box (40g) | 189 mg | 5.6 mg |
| Syrups, chocolate, HERSHEY'S Genuine Chocolate Flavored Lite Syrup | 2 tbsp (35g) | 68.3 mg | 2.1 mg |
| Cocoa, dry powder, hi-fat or breakfast, processed with alkali | 1 oz (28g) | 685 mg | 20.2 mg |
| Candies, chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids | I bar (101g) | 810 mg | 80.8 mg |
| Cocoa, dry powder, hi-fat or breakfast, plain | 1 Tbsp (5g) | 92.6 mg | 10.3mg |
What Makes Chocolate Toxic to Dogs?
Chocolate contains substances known as methylxanthines (specifically caffeine and theobromine), which dogs are far more sensitive to than people. Different types of chocolate contain varying amounts of methylxanthines. In general, though, the darker and more bitter the chocolate the greater the danger.
For instance, a 50-pound dog could become equally sick from eating 8 ounces (½ pound) of milk chocolate as they would from 1 ounce of baker’s chocolate. This is because the darker chocolate is more toxic, so a smaller amount would still result in toxicity.
Why Isn't Chocolate Toxic to Humans?
Humans can break down and excrete methylxanthines such as theobromine much more efficiently than dogs.