Chocolate is made from cacao beans, which have a naturally occurring chemical called theobromine in them.
Theobromine is the chemical, because of which chocolates are considered to be mood-enhancing for humans.
The combination of theobromine & caffeine (also present in cacao beans) has been found to influence our moods and alertness, without the reported side effects of ‘only caffeine’.
Both chemicals are also used medicinally as muscle relaxants, diuretics (cause increase in passing of urine), and heart stimulants (increases heartbeat).
Now, all living beings have hundreds of chemical reactionsThese chemical reactions put together are called metabolism. continuously happening inside their bodies that break down food so it could be absorbed and utilized by the body.
The chemical reactions inside a dog’s body can’t break down theobromine and caffeine, like the chemical reactions inside a human being’s body can.
Since they don’t break down, theobromine and caffeine are toxic to dogs and may cause severe poisoning.
A gram of chocolate can contain anywhere between 1mg to 10 mg of theobromine– the darker the chocolate, the higher the theobromine quantity.
Some sources suggest that one gram of gourmet dark chocolate can contain up to 15mg of theobromine.
Milk chocolates have between 1mg to 2 mg theobromine per gram, while white chocolates have negligible amounts (that is why they are considered safe).
Toxicity to chocolate starts at around 20mg of theobromine per kilogram of a dog’s body weight.
So, for a small dog weighing 5 kgs, 100mg of theobromine i.e. 10 grams of dark chocolate or 50 grams of milk chocolate may cause problems.
One of the first signs that a dog has eaten chocolate is restlessness and hyperactivity, which are caused by the quick digestion of caffeine present in the chocolate.
Theobromine takes much longer to take effect.
Cases of extreme toxicity can cause seizures, coma, and problems with the respiratory system.
