OK, SO confused about my dog and ALL others!?

Question

OK, chocolate is supposed to be poisonous to dogs, right? But my dog is one of those dogs who will eat ANYTHING he can get his paws on! (We don't regularly feed him human food, though, but he steals what he can reach, he's a little tiny Patterdale terrier). He has eaten a HUGE bar of chocolate before, a little bar of chocolate on another occasion, and not gotten sick or dying AT ALL!!! I was so worried about him! (The big bar of chocolate was like 150/200 grams). Why ain't he dead? (I'm glad he isn't though).

And I know another, bigger dog who has eaten RAISINS, which only a handful of are supposed to poison a dog's system, cough drops, icing on a cake, and other stuff.

Why don't dogs die if they eat half the things they're not supposed to? Why is my dog OK after eating chocolate?

Answer 1

These many things that are poisonous to dogs can kill them you have been LUCKY. Different chocolates are made with milk choc. being the least bad. Dark is worst.  Some dogs may have eaten and have other things in their belly's to help neutralize other dogs eat a similar amount and go into seizures. A little of this or that is NOT okay and not worth the chances.

A 20 lb dog can eat more than a 10 lb dog and so on. But that is not always the case every dog is different. Just like a person A bee may sting me and I am okay, you may die from it.  next time a bee stings me I amy have a bad reaction and you may not..  BUT as a rule take no chances ever! That's the best way to insure your dog remains healthy and by your side! I hope that helps some.

Answer 2

Some dogs are effected more harshly then others.  It depends on the amount of chocolate he ate. He will not die, just get VERY sick, if seen by a vet quickly! Your dog is lucky, be very careful because chocolate can be fatal!

Answer 3

Regular chocolate bars are different than bakers chocolate...it is the dark bakers chocolate that is harmful...my sheltie mix ate all of my kids easter basket one year...and she is still here...and yes I paniced for a while too....called the vet....they said she would be fine.  Never hear of raisins being harmful...or any other stuff listed.  Usually these things will just cause diarrhea

Answer 4

Well that is usually ok for some dogs.  But there will be many dogs that will not be so lucky.  I wouldn't want to take any chance.  Would you?

Answer 5

So how about that you are LUCKY that your dog didnt die or get sick the first time and how about NOT GIVING HIM a chance to do it again a second time and locking the stuff up from now on hmm??? Jeez... it's not all that tough.

Answer 6

You will always hear the stories about how they lived doing this or that.  There are thousands more about the dog dies from eating these things normally toxic to them.  Like the loose dogs in neighborhood that literally eat anything they can dig thru in the trash on trash day.  These are the exception not the rule.

Dogs are in emergency clinics daily for eating chocolate, raisins, medicines and the like.  

Why take the chance.  Why not make your home safer for your dog.  If you know he is prone to "stealing" stuff from the table then put the chairs where he can't jump on them and onto the table.  Don't leave chocolate or any toxic items anywhere but in the cupboard or frig. away from your beloved pet.  He is VERY lucky not to have become sick or worse.

If your dog had died we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Some dogs have eaten their own dog food and died.  Think about this and make your home a safer place for your little Patterdale.    

Answer 7

I don't think it's the case that they will drop dead if they eat it but if they eat a lot over a long period of time it can be bad for their system. IE my uncle had a small dog that he would feed ONE hershey miniature candy bar every night. After a couple of years of this she started having seizures and had to be put to sleep. The vet said that this was caused by the chocolate. It also depend s on the dog. I've had friends who fed their dogs raisins all the time with no problems. But my 5 pound Chihuahua ate 3 raisins and nearly died. She luckily threw them all up and was better. In my opinion I would try my best to keep the things out of the dogs reach to keep him from getting into them again. I don't know why he isn't dead though. I'm also glad he isn't.

Bethany

Answer 8

You have a very lucky dog many dogs die or get very sick from eating that. My neighbors dog is the same way. I would take your dog to the vet in case please make sure your dog doesn't do this any more. Here is some info right here http://www.doggies.com/articles/26-ten-h...

Answer 9

I've no idea.

But I can say this; My little tiny chihuahua pup ate a WHOLE bar of chocolate one! A supersize too.

He's full grown now and FINE. He's eaten raisins. And he's also eaten icing too! And he's tasted cough syrup, probably as bad as cough drops.

So, I still wonder to this day about that.

Answer 10

Just because he has survived so far doesn't mean he will next time.  Sometimes they get lucky and make it through.  Chocolate turns to poison in their bloodstream.  So think of alcohol in yours.  Sometimes your ok, sometimes it could kill you.  The more pure the chocolate, the worse.  Dark chocolate is so much more dangerous because it is so pure.  Milk chocolate candy bars have so much milk and sugar in them that sometimes it won't hurt them.  If he were to get into some baking chocolate, he would most definitely be very very sick.  Keep the chocolate away from the dog.  Mine almost died because he got on the counter and ate a chocolate cake one time.  He was fine at first.  Then several hours later, he got horribly ill.  He had tremors and uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea.  Don't risk it!      

Answer 11

Did you dog eat a milk chocolate bar, because if he did he may have been spared from serious sickness and even death, because milk chocolate has less theobromine.

Dark chocolate, in contrast, has a lot of theobromine and WILL kill your dog.

Please be better about keeping things away from your dog that might risk his health.  That's a big part about being a RESPONSIBLE dog owner.

Answer 12

There is a saying - "it's the dose that makes the poison".

All poisons are dependent on dose.  Your dog did not eat enough chocolate to get a high enough dose of theobromine, the poisonous ingredient.  It's like arsenic in humans - we ingest small quantities, and we are fine, and can even build up a bit of a tolerance.  But a large dose is lethal.

Add: it's not the amount of chocolate - it's the quantity of theobromine it contains.  That's why dark chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate, which is more dangerous that white chocolate, etc.