Last Updated on October 4, 2024 by admins
Do you wonder if a Yorkies eating chocolate is good or a bad sighting? Should Yorkies eat chocolate or not? To find out, read this concise article!
Many owners know that Yorkies shouldn’t eat chocolate or any sweet products. However, are they keen to eat them? The answer is yes, Yorkies love eating chocolate and sweets and would instantly aim for them.
You as an owner should be alert if you know that your Yorkie has a sweet tooth. So, it’s up to you to prevent them from eating sweets. But, if your Yorkie ate chocolate unintentionally, learn further in this article on how to react!
Table of Contents
What Happens If A Yorkie Eats Chocolate?
The amount and kind of chocolate consumed affect the clinical symptoms. Vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, panting or restlessness, excessive urine, and a rapid heart rate are the most typical clinical symptoms in many dogs.
Muscle tremors, seizures, and heart failure are all possible symptoms in severe instances. The prognosis for chocolate poisoning might be made worse by complications such as developing aspiration pneumonia because of vomiting.
If your Yorkie eats a dangerous amount of chocolate, seek emergency medical attention from your veterinarian. Chocolate poisoning symptoms might take many hours to appear. Because of theobromine’s lengthy half-life, symptoms from big exposures might linger for days.
That implies it stays in the bloodstream for a longer amount of time. Because theobromine can get absorbed from the bladder, we recommend intravenous fluids and regular walks to stimulate urine. As soon as you believe your Yorkie has eaten chocolate, get immediate treatment by calling your veterinarian.
Should You Let Your Yorkie Eat Sweets?
Chocolate is poisonous to dogs. This poisoning is hardly deadly, although it can cause sickness. Why is it poisonous? Well, it’s because it contains theobromine, a chemical extremely comparable to caffeine. However, chocolate can contain caffeine as well, which is toxic to dogs.
Both compounds are known as diuretics, heart stimulants, blood vessel dilators, and smooth muscle relaxants in medicine. Theobromine and caffeine are not metabolized as well by dogs as they are by people. As a result, dogs are more susceptible to the impacts of toxins.
How Much Chocolate Is Toxic For A Yorkie?
The quantity of poisonous theobromine in chocolate varies depending on the breed. Chocolate that is darker and more bitter is more hazardous to dogs. Baking chocolate and gourmet dark chocolate are rich in theobromine, containing 130-450 mg per ounce.
The average ounce of milk chocolate has just 44-58 mg of caffeine. With just 0.25 mg of theobromine per ounce of chocolate, white chocolate hardly causes chocolate poisoning.
Many owners think that m&m chocolate is good for Yorkies because they have peanut filling. However, they are wrong! One cup of chocolate m&m will provide 184mg of theobromine to your Yorkies.
Even if the amount consumed isn’t lethal, the fat and sugar in chocolate can cause dogs to get uncomfortable. In severe situations or dogs with sensitive stomachs, they might induce pancreatitis.
For toy breeds like the Yorkie, the toxic amount is around 27g of milk chocolate or 11g of dark chocolate. If your Yorkie ate chocolate around this amount, you should look out for symptoms of chocolate toxicity.
My Yorkie Ate Chocolate – What’s Next?
Chocolate is poisonous to dogs and depending on the sort and amount taken, as well as your dog’s weight, it might result in a significant medical emergency. If you suspect your dog has had chocolate, keep an eye on him for indications of poisoning and contact your veterinarian immediately.
Dogs that have eaten a toxic amount of chocolate based on their weight can show symptoms between 4hours and 24hours after intaking it.
Symptoms of chocolate poisoning in dogs can include some of the following:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Restlessness
- Rapid breathing
- Seizures
If you sight some of these symptoms, it’s best to contact your veterinarian and schedule an appointment. Usually, veterinarians can clear the stomach of your Yorkie by giving it medications that stimulate your Yorkie to throw up.
Hydrogen peroxide is a medication of choice when comes to chocolate poisoning. That can help your Yorkie vomit the chocolate if it is still in the stomach. Veterinarians recommend 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per pound of weight.
If your vet gave you the advice to stay at home, keep an eye on your Yorkie and proceed with the hydrogen peroxide treatment. On the other hand, if you go to a veterinarian appointment, read further to know what to expect when you get there.
Treatment Of Chocolate Poisoning In Yorkies
Things will move swiftly once you’ve taken your Yorkie to the veterinarian or animal hospital. If the chocolate is still in the dog’s stomach, the vet may induce vomiting or provide activated charcoal, which is effective in absorbing the theobromine.
You need to supply those compounds at regular intervals over 24 hours. In most circumstances, the Yorkie will be kept overnight at the clinic to get these doses and get an examination by the veterinarian.
Additionally, an I.V may be required to dilute the toxin as well as to address any dehydration that may have arisen because of vomiting. If your Yorkie heart rate is too high, medication like a beta-blocker may be prescribed.
Depending on the severity of a dog’s health problem, he may be able to return home in a few hours or may need to stay for many days until his condition improves.
How To Prevent Yorkies Eating Chocolate?
Even while little amounts of milk chocolate can be harmful to larger dogs, it is not a good idea to give your dog chocolate as a treat. Follow these tips and tricks to keep your Yorkie from eating sweets:
1. Remove the chocolate from the Yorkie reach range
Ensure that all chocolate goods, such as cocoa powder and hot chocolate mix, are kept out of reach of the dog, such as on a high shelf in a closet pantry.
Remind your children and guests that chocolate should not be left on worktops, tables, or in handbags and should be kept out of reach of dogs. Remember this throughout the holidays and put away the baskets full of chocolate on some spot where your Yorkie can’t access it.
2. Housetrain them the “leave it” command
When it comes to stopping dogs from eating food that falls to the ground or is left within reach during a walk, the order “leave it” is particularly successful. It’s also a rather simple command to learn.
3. Crate train the Yorkie
Crate training is the safest approach to guarantee your dog doesn’t consume anything poisonous while you’re not around.
Make a pleasant, safe area for your dog to go to when he wants to be alone or when you can’t monitor him in a strong box large enough for him to stand up and turn around. To make him feel like the crate is his den, provide toys, a stuffed Kong, a favorite blanket, and goodies.
If you follow these guidelines, you won’t have any problems when it comes to this issue.
Final Thoughts On Yorkie Eating Chocolate
Even though every owner is going to fall to those Yorkie puppy eyes, by any means don’t give your Yorkie chocolate or sweets. Chocolate is harmful to Yorkies even in small doses. As an owner, you would like your Yorkie to have the best life. So, try to avoid giving it sweets.
If you spot your Yorkies eating chocolate without you knowing, follow the guidelines we mentioned and visit your veterinarian for medical examination.
Did you get any other thoughts on this topic? Feel free to comment below and share them!