Giving your dog treats is just one of the many small joys of pet ownership, but not every treat that’s fit for human consumption is safe for your pet. In fact, you might be surprised to find that some human snacks are not only bad for your dog but potentially poisonous; one of the most well-known of these — and one that is especially dangerous for dogs — is chocolate.
Chocolate has a compound called theobromine in it that our canine friends are unable to metabolize properly. As such, if a dog eats enough chocolate, it can lead to a number of unpleasant symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea, and even cause major health risks, including seizures and heart failure.
Knowing that should be enough to make you quadruple-check before giving them anything, especially anything remotely close to chocolate, but at the same time, it can be easy to assume something like white chocolate is not the same, and that your dog may not be in danger if they were to eat some.
Can dogs eat white chocolate, though? Not necessarily — read on to find out why.
Advice:
- Never feed your dog chocolate!!
- All chocolate contains the theobromine compound
- If your dog consumes chocolate, call your veterinarian or Animal Poison Control
How White Chocolate Can Affect Your Dog
While you’re more likely to be giving your pal some doggy treats as opposed to some candy, there’s always a chance that they wind up scarfing down something containing that you plan to satisfy your sweet tooth with.
If that does happen, you’ll want to either monitor your dog closely for symptoms of chocolate poisoning or reach out to your vet to ensure their safety, as — just like regular chocolate — white chocolate also contains theobromine. Indeed; the answer to “Can dogs eat white chocolate?” is still a definitive “No.”
Of course, if your dog happens to get a hold of a small piece of white chocolate, odds are they’re not going to experience serious medical concerns, as it takes a fair amount of theobromine to make them ill. Nevertheless, by no means does that mean you shouldn’t exercise caution; monitor your dog’s behavior regardless of the amount they consume.
It’s also important to remember that the smaller your dog is, the smaller the amount of (white) chocolate they need to consume to become ill. If you’d like to know more about these specific amounts, you can always take a look at a dog chocolate toxicity calculator.
Can Dogs Eat White Chocolate Chips?
While they are very small and unlikely to cause serious symptoms unless consumed in a large enough quantity, white chocolate chips are not something you want your dog to eat; even if they don’t get seriously poisoned by them, white chocolate chips can cause some unpleasant symptoms.
Can Dogs Eat White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies?
Considering that the white chocolate content in a macadamia cookie amounts to a few chips, you shouldn’t panic if your dog happens to get hold of one; that said, you should absolutely avoid willingly giving them any and make sure to monitor them closely if they happen to grab a bite.
Keep Your Pet Safe by Knowing What They Can and Can’t Eat
Our furry friends are biologically different from us in many ways, and that means what may be a delicious and even healthy snack for us can be potentially deadly to them. Always ensure that anything you give them is safe for their species, and don’t hesitate to call your vet if you’re unsure or otherwise concerned about your pet’s health.
