So as usual I fell asleep on the sofa while watching TV. I had been munching on chocolates. When I woke up a few hours later the box was empty. My 80lb. Bouv was sleeping by the coffee table. I think there were about 10 chocolates left. They were cream filled. Should I be worried? It has been about 18 hours and he seems OK. I think I read somewhere that chocolate is not good for dogs but my parents gave our poodle a piece of chocolate each day at bedtime. He lived to be 16.
My guess is that after 18 hours he’s fine! Most chocolate candy doesn’t have that much actual chocolate in it. I’ve known quite a few dogs that love chocolate and would hunt it down, my current geezer included.
Fingers crossed that he’s no worse for wear and that you are over your canine induced heart failure!
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Depending on the type of chocolate and the amount the severity differs. Pure dark chocolate is the most potent, followed by milk chocolate, and white chocolate. These days chocolate is mostly just fat and cream so chances are he didn’t ingest that much pure chocolate. For a dog of that size, I don’t think a couple little chocolates would do big damage on him. But if he’s doing ok otherwise and showing no symptoms of upset stomach or pain then I would cautiously say he is ok. If you still have reservations, your vet should have no problem checking him out!
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It would take pounds of milk chocolate to do damage to an 80 lb dog.
My ancient poodle also loves chocolate.
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Agreed. And they would probably vomit it back up before it could do any harm.
I calculated this out once - even with bakers chocolate it would still require a significant amount to be lethal to a larger dog. (Not that you should test the theory…
) There is very little chocolate in milk chocolate, and probably also in filled candies.
By 18 hours later I think you would have seen symptoms anyway. Good to be cautious in the future but I wouldn’t worry too much.
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I wouldn’t worry too much. My 85lb Aussie x Bernese ate a whole bag of chocolate covered almonds when our friend fell asleep on the couch with them last Christmas. She vomited most of it up when she went outside (I would of too if I ate that much) and I watched her for a bit and she was her regular self. I was in a bit of a panic though as we were leaving the next day to move back to Ontario from Alberta.
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I had a 10# chi mix eat half a bag of milk chocolate chips once. Upon discovery I called the vet in a panic and they talked me down. They said so long as she is vomiting it up (she was–chocolate vomit everywhere), she will be fine. And she was. Your dog will likely not even show a little tummy upset. Best of luck, please update the thread.
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It’s the theobromine, right? And caffeine isn’t good them, either. Do I have that right? A lot of people don’t know what it is about chocolate.
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Mom’s giant dalmatian ate pounds of Devon fudge one year. It was almost fatal - not because of the chocolate content, but because they were going to kill her for eating all the fudge!
I’ve never had a dog that ate chocolate show any ill effects, other than the one who decided the only thing she wanted to eat M&Ms. That was fixed after a day or two.
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My 80lb lab ate half a pan of brownies a while back. Vet said no worries, not enough chocolate to do any damage.
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Thank you very much for all the supportive replies. He seems fine,me not so much. They were my last chocolates.
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I had a chocolate experience once. I was making chocolate chip cookies and ran to the store three blocks away for some eggs. Left the open bag of chips on the counter. I came home and the bag is destroyed and my two dogs looked guilty. I had no idea which one ate the chocolate. Called the vet and they said to induce vomiting with hydrogen peroxide. Administered hydrogen peroxide to both dogs. Sweet gentle female Boxer puked up right away. She had ONE CHIP in the contents of her stomach. I felt guilty for making her puke so violently and she felt guilty for puking in the yard. I was relieved that she was going to be fine. That meant that stubborn, gluttonous male Boxer was the consumer. First dose of peroxide. Nothing. I walk him around the yard hoping it would bubble up in his stomach. Second dose of peroxide was much harder to get into him - he resisted and was generally a mild PITA. Walked him around the yard 15 minutes and that pup still would NOT give up the contents of his tummy. He is very food driven and is always “starving” so I am convinced he willed that food to stay put in his stomach. So, 20 minutes later I load them both into the back seat of the truck. Vet said to bring him in so they could use a more powerful med to make him vomit…Ten minutes into the drive male Boxer pukes up ALL OVER the back seat and floor of my truck. Hot, melted chocolate chips and stomach contents and foamy hydrogen peroxide. It was DISGUSTING! When I got to the vet they congratulated me on resolving the problem and offered some towels to clean up the back seat of my truck. Epic experience for sure.
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I need to show my husband this thread. He freaks out if the slightest crumb of chocolate ends up on the floor. I mean a crumb! Our pup is rather sensitive, but at 82lbs, I’m sure he could handle a crumb of chocolate if need be, and lets be honest, I’m not giving up my after dinner treat!
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I have to admit that when I was a kid, I guess my folks didn’t know about the “chocolate is bad for dogs” routine. Our dogs would lick leftover chocolate mousse spoons, chocolate yogurt containers, they’d be given chunks of chocolate chip cookies and other chocolates, I shared my chocolate ice cream with them…they all lived a nice long life with no problem…maybe European chocolate is less toxic than Hershey etc. ? 
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Depends on the size of the dog, the type of chocolate and how much. Given your description, I wouldn’t worry much.
I’ve used this calculator, and similar ones, to estimate how much I should worry:
http://veterinaryclinic.com/chocolate/calc.html
I keep an unopened bottle of hydrogen peroxide and an oral syringe in the house, so I can make the dog puke promptly if have any doubts.
Most dogs I’ve owned preferred vanilla ice creme to chocolate and did not eat candy bars. But I had 2 aussies who were as addicted to chocolate as I was. Boo and Cozetta ate chocolate every day, ice creme, candy bars and the great recipe for Lindy’s chocolate mousse that I made. And Coze used to pick the tiny Mr. Goodbars out of the halloween candy I would put on a table by the front door at halloween. She unwrapped them and ate 6 or so, leaving the other flavors alone.
Boo got lymphosarcoma at age 14 and died at age 16.
Coze got liver cancer 2 months before her 16th birthday and died.
All of my other dogs including aussies were not fans of chocolate.
When I groomed in Florida my apartment was above the barn. The BO’s rottie lived with me.
I made a chocolate cake that had Reese’s peanut butter cups on top, and kit kats standing all around the sides. I made it in the afternoon and it was sitting on the counter, I went outside but when an outside trainer showed up with two small dogs I threw the rottie in the apartment just in case. Well, you guessed it. I come back up after bringing the horse in at 6pm and there was nothing left of the cake. Rottie was very pleased with himself. He was fine.
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White chocolate isn’t actually even truly chocolate and doesn’t have caffeine/theobromine except in the most minuscule amounts. It’s high in fat, so not good for dogs in large quantities-- but does not have the associated risks of true chocolate (milk chocolate and dark chocolate-- especially dark).
