Pet Primer

Tool · Dogs

Chocolate risk calculator

Your dog ate chocolate. Enter its weight, the kind of chocolate and roughly how much, to see where it falls on the danger scale.

Whatever the result, call your vet or a pet poison line if you’re unsure. This is a rough guide only.
A standard bar is usually 40 to 100 g (about 1.5 to 3.5 oz). Check the wrapper.

How it works

Chocolate contains theobromine, which dogs clear very slowly. The calculator multiplies the amount eaten by a typical theobromine content for that kind of chocolate, then divides by your dog’s weight. The Merck Veterinary Manual gives these levels:

  • About 20 mg per kg: mild signs such as vomiting, diarrhoea and drinking a lot
  • 40 to 50 mg per kg: heart effects such as a racing or irregular heartbeat
  • 60 mg per kg or more: seizures are possible

Real chocolate varies by brand, and the calculator ignores caffeine, fat (which can trigger pancreatitis) and wrappers, so treat the result as a starting point for a call to your vet. Read more in Is chocolate dangerous for dogs?

Source: Merck Veterinary Manual, chocolate toxicosis. Not reviewed by a vet.