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It’s a well-known fact that chocolate is bad for dogs. Regardless of the type of chocolate that is used, this sweet treat can be a death sentence for your pooch! We’ve discussed this before, but we wanted to bite back into the topic.
At The Dog Bakery, we’re always on the lookout for foods that could harm our pups. We love our dogs like we love our family, and that’s why we’re constantly updating our blog to bring you the latest news and information.
Before we get any deeper into the topic, we need to say something: never feed your dogs chocolate! Ever. There are plenty of other amazing flavors for them to try, and you can even give your pups a dog-friendly “chocolate” experience with some carob.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, it’s time to get to the topic of today’s post: how much chocolate can kill a dog? Keep reading for the answer to this, and many more questions.
Why Can’t Dogs Eat Chocolate?
To understand how much chocolate it takes to kill a dog, it’s worth knowing why dogs can’t eat chocolate.
In addition to the many unhealthy fats, oils, and sugars that are in plain chocolates, there’s also a chemical known as theobromine. Humans do not react to this chemical. However, theobromine is toxic to both dogs and cats. Chocolate also tends to contain variable amounts of caffeine, which can also be extremely harmful to dogs.
Theobromine is incredibly hard for dogs (and cats!) to digest. When ingested, it ultimately builds up in a pup’s body. It causes blood to rush to a dog’s brain, which has a variety of harmful aftereffects. Even small amounts of theobromine can cause seizures, and large amounts are known to cause death.
Theobromine and Chocolate
Every type of chocolate has a different amount of theobromine. White chocolate contains the lowest amount of theobromine, while dark chocolate has a lot of theobromine. Milk chocolate falls in between these two extremes.
This doesn’t mean that any chocolate is “safe” or “safer” for you to feed your dog! All forms of chocolate are bad for your pup, and even tiny amounts can cause problems for small dogs.
What Happens When Dogs Eat Chocolate?
When a pup eats a problematic amount of chocolate, it can take up to 24 hours for symptoms to appear. If your dog has managed to get their mouth around some of the sweet stuff, then it’s time to take them to the vet! Symptoms of chocolate poisoning in dogs include:
- Diarrhea
- Rapid breathing
- Restlessness
- Seizures
- Vomiting
What Should I Do If My Dog Eats Chocolate?
If your dog eats any chocolate, it is a veterinary emergency! Step one is to determine how much chocolate your dog ate. Step two is to dial the emergency line for your vet or your nearest emergency veterinarian. While there are 24/7 emergency veterinary hotlines, the best thing to do is contact your veterinarian directly. They know your dog, and they’ll know what to do.
You may be directed to take your dog to a nearby emergency vet. This is a crucial step in keeping your pup healthy, so be sure to follow their advice. Afterward, it’s up to the staff of the clinic to make sure your pup survives their foray into chocolate tasting.
How Much Chocolate Can Kill a Dog
Now that we’ve gone through some of the background information, let’s dig into the main question: how much chocolate can kill a dog?
Ultimately, the amount of chocolate it will take to kill a dog is dependent on a variety of factors. When you’re trying to figure out if a dog has eaten a concerning amount of chocolate, the best thing to do is call your vet. However, if you cannot get in touch with someone, it’s time to take matters into your own hands.
Using a chocolate toxicity calculator is a good way to get an idea of how much danger your pup is in. These handy online tools take every factor into account, including:
- The dog’s weight
- How much chocolate was eaten
- What kind of chocolate was eaten
- What other ingredients were in the chocolate
How to Safely Treat Your Dog
If you’re looking for a safe way to give your dog some amazing, tasty treats, then you’ll want to check out The Dog Bakery’s store! We have plenty of pup-friendly treats and goodies, and we even have dog-friendly cakes.
We love our dogs like they’re part of our family, and that’s because they are! That’s why we’re dedicated to keeping you up to date. We’re constantly updating our blog with information to help you be an amazing pup parent.
HABRI announces awards program.
When you want to celebrate your best friend, it can be hard to find the perfect cake for their party that is safe, cute, and made from tasty ingredients. You could make your own birthday cake, but we’ve all seen those fail videos online. Your dog’s birthday (or gotcha day) only comes once a year, and you want to make your pooch’s party perfect.
Read on for our guide to where to buy the best dog birthday cakes ever!
What Makes A Great Dog Birthday Cake?
Not all dog birthday cakes are created equal! When you’re choosing a birthday cake for your precious pup, there are a few things you want to look for.
The first and most important aspect of a dog birthday cake is the ingredients. Look for quality, organic ingredients that won’t upset your dog’s digestion. Lots of dog birthday cakes use oats as a main ingredient. Oats are fine for dogs to have! So are ingredients like brown rice, pumpkin, blueberries, and eggs.
If your dog has any specific allergies, be sure to tell your bakery. Many dog bakeries can make substitutions for birthday cakes made to order. Some dogs have issues with wheat and other grains, so it’s good to let your bakery know in advance. You don’t want your pup to have a stomachache on their birthday!
Where Can I Buy A Dog Birthday Cake?
There’s lots of places to buy dog birthday cakes, and choosing can be a challenge! Don’t worry, though– we’ve got your back.
When you’re choosing a dog bakery to order a cake from, you definitely want to make sure they deliver. Unless you’re lucky enough to live close by, it doesn’t make sense to order from somewhere that doesn’t ship! All of our picks ship nationwide, and we’ve made note of any free shipping or item-specific shipping restrictions.
1. The Dog Bakery
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- Shipping: Free shipping anywhere in the US (for orders over $49)
- Why Dogs Love Them: The Dog Bakery has been making delicious fresh baked dog cakes and treats for almost two decades, including wheat-free and grain-free options. They have lots of fun shapes like hearts, bones, circles and even a tiered cake, and the cakes are personalized with your message.
- You Gotta Try: The Carob Cake! Carob isn’t chocolate, so it’s safe for dogs, and has a flavor that dogs just love.
- Link To Cake Menu: The Dog Bakery
2. Okra and Molly
- Location: Nashville, Tennessee
- Shipping: Anywhere in the US
- Why Dogs Love Them: Okra and Molly serve up designer cakes for dogs in a ton of fun shapes and colors.
- You Gotta Try: The Wheat-Free Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Cake! Peanut butter and pumpkin is a dog-favorite flavor combo that’s packed with nutrition. Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it, too?
- Link To Cake Menu: Okra and Molly
3. Sprinkles
- Location: Several locations in the US, including New York City, Chicago, Scottsdale, Los Angeles, Austin, and others
- Shipping: Many items (including all dog items) available for nationwide delivery in the US
- Why Dogs Love Them: Sprinkles might be famous for their human cupcakes, but their pup cakes are just as delicious… well, if you’re a dog!
- You Gotta Try: The Classic Pupcake! This sugar-free treat features a yogurt-based frosting that dogs just howl over.
- Link To Cake Menu: Sprinkles
4. Happy Dog Barkery
- Location: Downers Grove, Illinois
- Shipping: many cake designs ship across the US
- Why Dogs Love Them: Happy Dog serves up cakes in flavors like grain-free peanut butter and carob fudge.
- You Gotta Try: The Prince or Princess Dog Cake! This adorable design will make regal Rex’s day. Let your prized pet know who really rules the roost with a cake that confirms what they already know– that they’re the real royalty ‘round these parts.
- Link To Cake Menu: Happy Dog Barkery
5. Bubba Rose Biscuit Company
- Location: Based in Miami with a retail store in Morristown, NJ– but their products are carried in more than 1,200 locations in the US
- Shipping: Nationwide US
- Why Dogs Love Them: Their products are all free of the most common dog dietary allergens, including wheat, corn, and soy. These cakes are shelf stable for up to one year.
- You Gotta Try: The Baby Birthday Cake!
- Link To Cake Menu: The Bubba Rose Biscuit Company offers two cake menus: Perishable Cakes and the Shelf Stable Birthday Collection.
6. The Dog Cake Bakery
- Location: San Diego, California
- Shipping: Free shipping nationwide in the US
- Why Dogs Love Them: The Dog Cake Bakery uses simple, healthful ingredients and designed all of their recipes with veterinary supervision.
- You Gotta Try: The Pawty Puffs! These festive treats are almost too cute to eat– but the key word is almost! These fluffy treats will make any occasion special.
- Link To Cake Menu: The Dog Cake Bakery
7. Butters Barkery and Pawtisserie
- Location: Galesburg, Illinois
- Shipping: Nationwide in the US
- Why Dogs Love Them: This artisan bakery is newer to the dog birthday scene and making a splash with their fun flavors, like Pirates of the Carob-bean and Bone Apple-tite.
- You Gotta Try: The Double Decker Cone Cake! This cake has a dog-friendly icing drip that looks just like melted ice cream.
- Link To Cake Menu: Butters Barkery and Pawtisserie
8. Taffy’s Treats
- Location: Odessa, Florida
- Shipping: Nationwide in the US
- Why Dogs Love Them: Taffy’s Treats are all made with low allergen ingredients– all taste-tested by Taffy herself, a beloved beagle whose allergic reactions prompted her parents to start making their own safe treats for their best bud.
- You Gotta Try: The Dots Cake in Blueberry and Bacon!
- Link To Cake Menu: Taffy’s Treats
9. 3 Paws Kitchen
- Location: Hoboken, New Jersey
- Shipping: Nationwide in the US
- Why Dogs Love Them: Interesting flavors like peanut butter banana and sweet potato bacon.
- You Gotta Try: The Dog Face Cake! This utterly adorable cake can be customized to look like the birthday boy or girl.
- Link To Cake Menu: 3 Paws Kitchen
How will you celebrate your dog’s birthday or gotcha day this year? Whether you do it with toys, treats, or just some extra lovin’, we know you’ll make it their best day ever!