Of all candy, chocolate is one of the most toxic to pets.
Over the past year, more than 1,100 calls to Pet Poison Helpline involved
exposure to chocolate and 98 percent of them involved dogs. Many dogs are
inherently attracted to the smell and taste of chocolate, making it a
significant threat. In general, the darker and more bitter the chocolate, the
more poisonous it is. The chemicals in chocolate that are dangerous to pets,
methylxanthines, are similar to caffeine and more heavily concentrated in the
darker varieties. In fact, a 50-pound dog can be sickened by ingesting only one
ounce of Baker’s chocolate! On the other hand, it may take up to eight ounces,
(half a pound) of milk chocolate to cause poisoning in that same sized dog.
White chocolate contains very low amounts of methylxanthine and rarely causes
poisoning. To avoid issues, keep Halloween candy well out of the reach of pets
at all times. If you think your pet may have ingested chocolate, symptoms to
watch for include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, agitation, increased thirst, an
elevated heart rate, and in severe cases, seizures.
