While eating Hershey’s Kisses and Reese’s peanut butter cups, we often see our dogs making puppy faces just to have a bite of them. As we can see them sad, we think of offering them some. But can dogs have white chocolate?
Dogs can’t eat white chocolate as it contains a toxin named theobromine. This can cause theobromine poisoning and even seizures and tremors. Besides, the high amounts of fat, sugar, and artificial sweeteners in white chocolates can be dangerous for dogs. Let’s dig deeper into the consequences of having this chocolate for our canine friends.
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Can Dogs Have White Chocolate?
Most often, we hear that dark chocolate is not safe for dogs, which is true. Meanwhile, white chocolates don’t have chocolate, caffeine, or other ingredients like other chocolates. So we may think of offering them to our dogs. Unfortunately, dogs can’t have white chocolate either.
They do contain the toxin present in dark and milk chocolates. It is the toxin called theobromine in white chocolates that poses health threats to dogs. If you want your dog’s well-being, keep all sorts of chocolates away from him.
Is White Chocolate Better Than Other Chocolates For Dogs?
One of the main reasons why chocolates are bad for dogs is because of the toxin present in them, called theobromine. The concentration of this toxin is not the same in all chocolates. They are being placed based on the colour of the chocolates.
For example, dark chocolates have higher amounts of theobromine, and milk chocolate has less theobromine than darker chocolates. Whereas white chocolates have the least amount of theobromine among all other chocolates,
White chocolates have 0.25 mg of theobromine, milk chocolates have 58 mg of theobromine, and dark chocolates have 450 mg of theobromine. So it is inevitable that white chocolates have a small amount of this toxin. Perhaps one small bite of them won’t cause any trouble for dogs. But if they take even a single bite of dark chocolate, their condition can be hilarious.
Why Is White Chocolate Bad For Dogs?
White chocolate is less chocolate and more other ingredients. Such as vanilla, milk products, cocoa butter, lethicin, theobromine, and sugar. In short, it has all the ingredients that a dog should avoid. Let’s check out how these ingredients can be unhealthy for dogs.
Theobromine
Firstly, we have to understand what theobromine is. Well, it is a caffeine-like stimulant used in chocolate. Although white chocolates have less theobromine, they can still be risky for dogs.
If a dog ingests more than 20 mg of theobromine, he can be poisoned. Again, taking this toxin above 40 mg can lead to cardiac issues, and more than 60 mg can disrupt his neurological system. And if he consumes more than 200 mg of theobromine, this can be life-threatening for him.
The symptoms of white chocolate poisoning can include vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, stomach pain, drooling, etc. The cardiac issues in your dog can cause symptoms of increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and so on. The neurological disruptions can include seizures, tremors, etc.
Cocoa Solids
Another reason why white chocolates are not good for dogs is because of their cocoa solids. According to reports, white chocolates have 35% cocoa solids. The cocoa solids contain cocoa butter components along with theobromine. So directly, the cocoa solids in white chocolates are dangerous for dogs.
Artificial Sweeteners
Almost all chocolates include artificial sweeteners, like xylitol. This sweetener is toxic for dogs and can decrease their blood sugar levels. Sometimes, consuming large amounts of xylitol, including chocolate, can lead to liver failure in dogs and even death.
High-Fats
Since white chocolates are full of sugar and sweeteners, they are going to be high in fat. According to vets, high amounts of fat can inflame dogs’ pancreas, leading to pancreatitis. Also, this can be a reason to make our canine friends overweight.
Added nuts
Most white chocolates include macadamia nuts and raisins. Both of these ingredients are highly toxic for dogs. They can be as harmful as theobromine for our four-legged friends.
Caffeine
Caffeine is another toxic ingredient for dogs. Although white chocolates contain less caffeine than other chocolates, the small amount is enough to affect their health. This can increase the blood pressure in dogs and lead to tremors and seizures.
Can Dogs Have White Chocolate Sometimes?
As white chocolates contain the slightest amount of theobromine, you may think that eating them can be stress-free for dogs. Well, whenever you see your dog eating white chocolate, you must worry. Whatever ingredients they have, they are all harmful, even in small amounts.
Anyway, if your dog eats a tiny bite of white chocolate, maybe he won’t face any side effects. But if he does that every day, he will have side effects. Such as vomiting, constant urination, dehydration, etc.
If he eats one bite of white chocolate once a month, that won’t be hazardous for him, hopefully. Yet, it is better not to let your dog eat chocolates, including white chocolates. You may not know about his health condition, and one bite of chocolate can lead him to expensive treatments.
What To Do If Dogs Have White Chocolates?
If you see your dog eating white chocolate, take it from him immediately. Then observe his reactions. If he ate only one more, maybe he wouldn’t show adverse reactions and behave normally. But if he ate three to five bites, he may drool, act restless, vomit, and have diarrhoea. In such cases, the treatment can be easy. Just let your dog rest and offer him the medicines prescribed by your vet.
Again, eating half of a chocolate can lead to worse conditions. Like constant vomiting, diarrhoea, and having pancreatitis, tremors, or seizures. This will require urgent treatment for your dog. Your vet may suggest you do a few checkups at that time.
If your dog eats whole chocolate, it will be a stressful situation for you. Eating too much chocolate is equal to consuming poison for dogs. If you see your dog eating a bar of whole chocolate, take him to your vet instead of watching for any symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions: Can Dogs Have White Chocolate?
What happens when dogs eat white chocolate?
Firstly, eating white chocolate will cause vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, etc. in dogs. If they eat it in moderate quantities, they may have increased blood pressure and dehydration. And if the amount of chocolate is high, the results could be tremors and seizures.
Will a little amount of white chocolate hurt dogs?
Well, it depends on the type of breed. If a large dog eats a bite of chocolate, he won’t get as many side effects as a small dog will get from one bite. It means that for a large breed, eating a small amount of white chocolate won’t be a serious fact.
Can dogs die from having white chocolate?
White chocolate has a small amount of theobromine, which hopefully won’t kill your dog. But if he eats too much of the chocolate, the toxin can be life-threatening for him.
Is white KitKat safe for dogs?
White kitkat or white chocolate contains the toxin theobromine along with artificial sweeteners. Hence, it is not the right treat to offer dogs, though small amounts won’t harm them.
Final Thoughts
After knowing about the amount of toxin in white chocolate, you may still wonder, Can dogs have white chocolate? The answer is no if you care about your dog.
Even though white chocolates have a lesser amount of theobromine than other chocolates, they are still dangerous for dogs. This is because dogs should not have a pinch of toxins. Sometimes, a small amount of theobromine can be enough to worsen a dog’s health, especially when dealing with other health issues.
If possible, keep white chocolates and other chocolates out of your dog’s reach.
Benedict is an entertainment enthusiast and a passionate blogger. He loves to share his insights and opinions of the ever-evolving entertainment world. When he’s not writing, you can find Benedict immersing himself in the latest releases, following the latest industry events, and engaging with fellow entertainment enthusiasts online.
