Can Dogs Have White Chocolate?

It is a known fact that chocolate is poisonous to dogs, but does that go for all chocolate? Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate are all different, so does this mean that they are all poisonous to dogs?

You need to be aware of what foods are poisonous to dogs so you can keep your dog away from them, so what about white chocolate?

With the forever growing popularity of chocolate, it can be tempting to share a little bit with your dog. However, it is a known fact that dogs should not eat chocolate as it is poisonous.

As different types of chocolate contain different ingredients, does it change how it affects dogs, or is it still just as poisonous? 

This article will explain if dogs can have white chocolate and if it is safe for them to have some. Find out more about whether or not your dog can have white chocolate below. 

Can Dogs Have White Chocolate?

As milk and dark chocolate is not suitable for dogs to eat, unfortunately, white chocolate is also toxic to dogs (see also ‘Can Dogs Have Kiwi?‘). The reason that dogs should not eat any chocolate is due to the chemical theobromine, which dogs cannot metabolize.

This leads to the toxicity levels building in dogs, which can then cause death. 

Although white chocolate contains lower levels of theobromine compared to other types of chocolate, it is still not suitable for dogs to eat. Despite the levels of theobromine being lower in white chocolate, this does not make it safer for dogs to eat.

White chocolate is still poisonous to dogs as it contains theobromine, so do not give this to your dog to eat. 

What Happens If Your Dog Eats White Chocolate

If your dog consumes white chocolate, your dog can be poisoned. When dogs consume theobromine, they can have cardiac issues like an increased heart rate, high blood pressure, and heart arrhythmia. They can also experience seizures, twitching, and tremors, so they must be kept away from white chocolate. 

Fatal poisonings occur when dogs consume lots of white chocolate, but the symptoms that dogs have from eating some white chocolate could lead to death.

It doesn’t matter what size dog you have, any amount of white chocolate will have an impact on their body and cause them to be incredibly unwell. 

Are Other Ingredients In White Chocolate Poisonous To Dogs?

Although theobromine is toxic to dogs, other ingredients in chocolate can negatively affect your dog. The high quantities of fat and sugar in chocolate can cause serious health conditions (see also ‘How to Heal Dog Prolapse at Home‘) for your dog, so they should be kept away from it.

Chocolate is toxic to dogs, but it is also incredibly unhealthy for your dog to consume. 

Symptoms Of Poisoning By White Chocolate

If your dog has any of these symptoms, they can be an indication of white chocolate poisoning. If your dog is suffering from any of these symptoms, make sure that you seek medical help immediately from a veterinarian. 

  • Drooling
  • Seizures
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pains
  • Increased heart rate
  • Frequent urination

All of these symptoms signal that your dog has been poisoned by white chocolate. If you suspect that your dog has consumed white chocolate, you must take them to a veterinarian immediately. 

How Will A Veterinarian Help Your Dog?

If your dog has been poisoned by white chocolate, you will need to seek help from a veterinarian immediately. You will be asked by your veterinarian how much chocolate your dog has consumed and what type of chocolate it was so that they can determine how serious the case is. 

Can Dogs Have White Chocolate (1)

The most effective way for a veterinarian to help a dog who has eaten chocolate is to induce vomiting. This will bring up the chocolate and prevent it from affecting your dog.

The quicker the chocolate is removed from your dog’s body by a veterinarian, the better. It will remove the theobromine and reduce their risk of poisoning. 

When your dog has eaten chocolate, time is of the essence. The faster you take your dog to the veterinarian, the less chance they will have of being poisoned. You must seek help immediately from the veterinarian to induce vomiting to get rid of all of the chocolate from your dog’s system.

How To Keep Dogs Away From Chocolate

It is important to take precautions when you are eating chocolate around your dog. Make sure that you do not drop any and if you need to get up, do not leave your chocolate unattended. If you do, your dog could grab it and eat some, so you always need to remember to take it with you. 

You should also store your chocolate in high cupboards as your dog will be unable to get to them. Some dogs can open low cupboards with their noses, so you want to avoid keeping any chocolate in them to make sure that they do not steal any.

Keep your chocolate in high cupboards where your dog will struggle to get it. 

Dogs are notorious for finding food in bins, so if you are throwing chocolate away, keep it in a separate bin that your dog cannot access. This will prevent them from finding it in the bin and eating it.

This will reduce their risk of poisoning and it will keep your mind at rest that they will not have access to any chocolate. 

Final Thoughts

To conclude, dogs cannot eat white chocolate as it is still poisonous to them. Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine, which is toxic to dogs.

Although white chocolate contains lower levels of theobromine than dark chocolate, it still contains it, so it is unsuitable for dogs to eat and is poisonous if consumed. 

If your dog does manage to eat white chocolate, seek help from a veterinarian immediately. They will be able to induce vomiting to remove the theobromine from their system.

The longer you leave it, the more likely it is that your dog will be poisoned from the white chocolate in their system, so seek veterinary help immediately.

John Lowery

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