Why is chocolate bad for dogs?

Sick Dog
Have you ever heard that dogs can get sick and even die from chocolate? Well I have and I had no idea that chocolate could have such a negative effect on dogs. Therefore, I have decided to explore the facts on why dogs cannot eat chocolate.

While dogs really enjoy the taste of chocolate it can result in devastating effects for your dog such as death. In chocolate there is a stimulant called theobromine that is in most chocolate that is harmful to dogs and even horses. Theobromine is a stimulant that is found in the cocoa plant and has a larger amount in baker’s chocolate than in milk chocolate. The symptoms a dog will have if it has eaten too much chocolate are crying, vomiting, and diarrhea. Now you might think well how can my dog die from those symptoms? Well, actually those are warning symptoms for you to take your dog immediately to the vet. The reason being is that if the theobromine is left in the dog’s system too long it will get absorbed into the bloodstream and then into the heart. When the theobromine reaches the heart it will cause the dog’s heart to beat extremely fast and then give out which causes the dog to die. Other symptoms to watch out for are disproportionate urination, muscle twitching, and excessive panting. The amount of lethal chocolate varies for each dog depending on age, dog’s health, size, and the type of chocolate.