🍫 Dog Chocolate Toxicity Calculator
Dog ate chocolate? Enter its weight, what kind of chocolate and how much. You will see the theobromine dose per kilogram and how serious that is — then what to do next.
An estimate from published theobromine levels, not a diagnosis. Chocolate varies by brand and cocoa content — very dark bars (70%+ cocoa) can be far stronger than "dark"; pick baking chocolate for those to be safe.
Why chocolate is toxic to dogs
Chocolate contains theobromine (and some caffeine). Dogs clear it far more slowly than people, so it builds up and overstimulates the heart and nervous system. The darker and less sweet the chocolate, the more theobromine it holds — an ounce of baking chocolate carries about eight times as much as an ounce of milk chocolate.
How the dose is worked out
Theobromine in the chosen chocolate (milligrams per ounce, upper end of the published range) × the amount eaten ÷ your dog’s weight in kilograms. Vets read the result against these bands:
- Under 20 mg/kg — serious signs unlikely; tummy upset possible.
- 20–40 mg/kg — vomiting, diarrhoea, thirst, restlessness.
- 40–60 mg/kg — racing heart, tremors, high temperature.
- Over 60 mg/kg — seizures; can be fatal.
What to do right now
Call your vet or a 24/7 poison line straight away — before symptoms start, which can take 6–12 hours. If the chocolate was eaten in the last couple of hours, a vet can often make your dog vomit it up safely. Don’t try that at home with salt or hydrogen peroxide unless a vet tells you to. Keep the wrapper: it tells the vet the type and cocoa percentage.
Frequently asked questions
How much chocolate is toxic to a dog?
Signs usually appear at about 20 mg of theobromine per kg of body weight, become severe from 40 mg/kg and can cause seizures above 60 mg/kg. For a 20 lb (9 kg) dog that is roughly 3 oz of milk chocolate, or just over 1 oz of dark chocolate, to reach the mild range.
Is white chocolate dangerous for dogs?
White chocolate has almost no theobromine, so poisoning is very unlikely — but its fat and sugar can still cause vomiting, diarrhoea and, in some dogs, pancreatitis.
How long after eating chocolate will a dog get sick?
Signs usually start within 6 to 12 hours and can last up to three days, because dogs eliminate theobromine slowly. Call a vet as soon as you know — treatment works best before symptoms begin.
My dog ate chocolate but seems fine — do I still need a vet?
If the calculator puts the dose above 20 mg/kg, yes. Dogs often look normal for hours before the heart and nervous-system signs appear.
Sources
These calculators give general estimates for healthy pets. They are not veterinary advice — if your pet is unwell or has eaten something it shouldn’t, call your vet.