Dog vs. Chocolate

Enter a weight, what was eaten, or both. Every number on the page answers to every other.

Already worried? Call first, calculate second. ASPCA Poison Control (888) 426-4435 Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 Both answer around the clock and may charge a consultation fee. Seizures, collapse or trouble breathing: go to an emergency vet now.
Waiting for numbers

Enter the dog’s weight to see how much of each item fits before each care level. Enter what was eaten to see the dose. Enter both for a verdict.

Eaten, gross
Chocolate in it (est.)
Cacao
Theobromine
Caffeine
Methylxanthines (combined total)

Care levels and their breakpoints

The thresholds are for theobromine and caffeine added together. 20, 40 and 60 mg/kg all come from the Merck Veterinary Manual and ASPCA Poison Control.

What was eaten

verified official source: USDA, Merck, ASPCA, FDA, maker approx · 3 three unofficial sources agree approx · 2 two agree estimated derived, or a single unofficial source

Other household no-nos amounts appear once a weight is entered

These are poisoning thresholds, not dosing guidance. Never give a dog human medicine unless your vet prescribed it.

Beyond the dose

  • Signs usually start 6–12 hours after eating and can last up to 72 hours. Theobromine’s half-life in dogs is about 17.5 hours, so count everything eaten over the past day together.
  • Vets can induce vomiting if it has been under about 2 hours. That window is the reason to call early.
  • Sugar-free chocolate may contain xylitol, which is far more dangerous than the chocolate itself.
  • Raisins and macadamia nuts inside chocolate are separate poisons. Edibles add THC.
  • The fat in candy can trigger pancreatitis a day or three later, even when the chocolate dose is low.
  • Foil, wrappers and sticks can block the gut. Mention them to your vet.
  • Puppies, seniors, pregnant or nursing dogs, and dogs with heart or seizure conditions deserve a lower bar.

Method and sources

The math. dose (mg/kg) = (theobromine mg + caffeine mg) ÷ dog kg. Each item’s milligrams are its gross weight × a per-gram lab figure for that product, so a peanut M&M is counted as a peanut M&M, not as solid chocolate. “Chocolate in it” and “Cacao” are two different estimates shown for context only; the dose never uses them. Chocolate in it is how much of the piece is chocolate, worked back from its lab assay: a Snickers is about 41% milk chocolate by weight (milk chocolate is its first ingredient). Cacao is the cocoa solids inside that chocolate: milk chocolate is only about 30% cacao, so the same Snickers is about 12% cacao. Cacao is exact for bars that print it and estimated for everything else.

Leaning cautious. Where two official sources disagree, the higher figure is used. Amounts that still fit are always rounded down. When no weight is entered, the weight box fills with the heaviest dog that would land on the Monitor line for what’s been eaten.

Limits. Cocoa content varies by bean, brand and batch, and dogs vary more. Treat every line here as an estimate that helps you decide how fast to call, never as clearance to skip the call.