Can Dogs Have White Chocolate?

Like dark and milk chocolate, the white type should not get anywhere near your dog’s muzzle. The reason behind this anti-chocolate opinion is because of theobromine, which is a chemical contained in chocolate. The digestive system of a dog does not allow the chemical to be metabolized. This means that the more the dog ingests chocolate, the more it builds up to toxic levels. With toxicity, death is usually lurking in the shadows. Also, chocolate has caffeine, an element that can have adverse effects on the canine.

The danger ‘value’ of a piece of chocolate depends on its color and taste. If a chocolate piece is on the bitter, darker end, it is more toxic than the others on the sweeter, whiter side. To put this to perspective, gourmet dark chocolate and baking chocolate both have high theobromine concentrations – something between 139 and 450 milligrams of theobromine for every ounce. On the flip side, the figures for milk chocolate are anything between 44 and 58 milligrams per ounce. The darker the piece of chocolate, the more caffeine it contains.

Although the theobromine level in white chocolate is relatively lower, we should not serve it to our dogs because it is risky. If you look at the figures, white chocolate has the lowest theobromine levels. So, it can be said to be the safest type of chocolate for dogs. Check out the following table that captures the different theobromine content levels in differently chocolatey items:

Theobromine In Chocolate
Type Of Chocolate	Description	Theobromine Per…
1-ounce square	100 grams	200 calories
Baking chocolate	Unsweetened	274 mg	1296 mg	404mg
Dark chocolate	Cocoa between 70 and 80%	228 mg	802 mg	268 mg
Dark chocolate	Cocoa between 60 and 69%	179 mg	632 mg	218 mg
Sweet chocolate	Candies	175 mg (per 1.5 ounce bar)	426 mg	168 mg
Hot cocoa	170 mg (per cup)	68 mg	177 mg
Dark chocolate	Coated coffee beans	147 mg (per ounce, 28 beans)	368 mg	136 mg
Cocoa powder	142 mg (per tablespoon)	2634mg	2395mg
Dark chocolate	Cocoa between 45 and 59%	140 mg	494 mg	181 mg
Chocolate Chips	Semi-sweet	138 mg	486 mg	203 mg
Chocolate Wafers	21 mg (per Wafer)	354 mg	164 mg

Some White Chocolate-y Questions

White Chocolate Macadamia – Can Dogs Eat?

These nuts are highly toxic to many breeds of dogs worldwide. Reports have it that the dogs which nibbled on macadamia nuts exhibit toxicity symptoms. So, if your dog suddenly ate a cake that had white chocolate macadamia, you need to get ready for a trip to the vet.

White Chocolate Chips – Can Dogs Eat?

As captured in the table, there is about 138 mg of theobromine for every 1 square ounce of white chocolate chips. Although this chemical content is relatively low, that does not mean that white chocolate chips should be handed over to dogs. Probably, there will not be any cause for alarm if the dog nibbles on one or three chips, though. All in all, prepare to handle a problematic dog as it will experience GI problems.

White Chocolate Cake – Can Dogs Eat?

No – no, they can’t. Any type of cake is dangerous for the dog to eat because it contains many ingredients that bakers use to bring cakes together, some of which may be toxic to the dog. Unless you know the exact ingredients used and their safety value, do not give the dog a cake. Read here to find out more about dogs, eating cake, and what you can do to help them.

White Chocolate Brownies – Can Dogs Eat?

Chocolate is the main ingredient in brownies, meaning that they should be presented to dogs no matter the weather.

My Dog Ate White Chocolate – What is Likely To Go Down?

If you’re a lover of chocolate, you know that it is so alluring and tempting to nibble on chocolate treats once you see them. In the same spirits, our furry canine friends love to taste what we taste to get a piece of the action. However, we should not be fooled by their puppy eyes.

When a dog eats white chocolate or any other in excess, chocolate poisoning (or toxicity) is likely to occur (to be explained in the following section).

Instead of giving chocolate, you can go for fresh fruits. Always keep an eye on your furry canine friend, especially if there are kids around who are enjoying some white chocolate.

Dealing With Dog Chocolate Poisoning

Chocolate toxicity (or poisoning) is very common during the holidays; talk about Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Valentine’s Day – when candy is in plenty. Sometimes, we tend to stretch the chocolatey love to our dogs, therefore putting them at risk of poisoning.

Puppies are very curious, and they will nibble at anything, even the bar of Snickers that you accidentally leave on the floor. Because of their tiny bodies, puppies are likely to experience chocolate problems than adult dogs. Let us now look at the nitty-gritty details of chocolate toxicity.

Chocolate Poisoning: The Explainer

Before chocolate becomes chocolate, its makers first roast cocoa plant seeds. The seeds contain theobromine, which is less active but pharmacologically related to caffeine. Unlike humans, the digestive systems of dogs cannot break down theobromine quickly, and so, it becomes toxic. When a dog overeats chocolate, its cardiovascular and nervous systems are highly affected, causing high heart rate and hyperactive behavior.

Chocolate Poisoning: The Symptoms

When your dog gets poisoned because of too much theobromine in its system, it is likely to urinate frequently. This is because the compound has a diuretic effect that affects bladder control by relaxing it. On top of that, the dogs will have bouts of diarrhea, thirst, drooling (because of nausea), and vomiting. Even if the dog did not overeat chocolate (the life-threatening kind), you might have potty accidents to deal with – and you may not like it. Here are the other symptoms:

1. Abnormal heart rate

2. Collapsing

3. Seizures

4. Tremors

5. Coma

Chocolate Poisoning: The Causes

This is an obvious one, don’t you think? Chocolate poisoning happens when a dog eats a little too much chocolate. As captured in the kicker, baker’s or dark chocolate has a little too much theobromine compared to milk chocolate. This is because the makers use a lot of cocoa. The take-home point is that the bitter and darker chocolate is, the more toxic it is going to be.

The factors and variables that determine whether or not a dog gets chocolate poisoning are breed type, age, type of chocolate, and presence or absence of underlying conditions.

Chocolate Toxicity: How To Treat It

It is critically important to visit the vet if you suspect that a puppy or a dog has eaten some chocolate, regardless of the type. You should know that there is no known antidote to take care of the toxic effects of chocolate poisoning. If you take your pup to the vet, it will get supportive treatments that eliminate the compound or prevent it from being absorbed. Also, the expert will give treatment specific to the symptoms exhibited.

Also, the vet may induce vomiting if the animal has just been seen ingesting the chocolate. If a reasonable period passes after the dog eats the chocolate, the vet may administer charcoal to prevent the theobromine from being absorbed into the dog’s blood. 

If the dog is experiencing shock, the vet is likely to deliver fluid therapy. For issues like diarrhea, vomiting, and heart rate irregularities, the expert will use the appropriate medications to treat them.

Chocolate Poisoning: First Aid

If you walk in on your pup eating chocolate, you should induce vomiting. This will help you eliminate the toxic compounds, and all you need is hydrogen peroxide. If you don’t find the pet nibbling on a chocolate bar but it is chewing up chocolate or candy wrappers, you should induce the vomiting.

Know that inducing vomiting while the dog looks sick, fatigue, or dehydrated is a dangerous thing. So, only do it when the animal is very alert. Used 3% hydrogen peroxide following these pointers:

1. Start by giving the dog some little food. If there is something small in the dog’s stomach, getting the dog to puke will be easy.

2. Then get hydrogen peroxide and deliver it at the back of the dog’s throat. The foaming of the liquid and its taste should get the dog vomiting in minutes. If it does not happen the first time, try repeating it but not too much.

3. Avoiding using salt as a vomit trigger.

4. Once the dog’s stomach is empty, talk to a vet for further instructions. If the induced vomiting is unsuccessful, go to a vet clinic.

Preventing Chocolate Poisoning From Happening

For you to deal with chocolate toxicity effectively, you need to avoid the ingestion from happening. Since puppies and dogs all have a sweet tooth, ensure that all the chocolate is locked behind cabinets or tightly-closed jars. Always be alert during the holidays because most chocolate snacks spread during that time. Also, you can take up some training methods to prevent the poisoning from happening. Here are further pointers:

1. Take your dog through crate training so that he does not go for leftover treats and food.

2. Guide your dog to leave foods so that you can stop them from eating the chocolate.

3. All the adults and children in the house should keep the house chocolate-free because of the dog.