My dog ate a chocolate cupcake; what should I do?

Chocolate is poisonous to dogs, and dog owners must know about it. Chocolate can result in severe health issues or even death. The effects on your dog, however, will vary depending on the sort and amount of chocolate and your dog’s size. 

Facts apart–did your dog eat chocolate? Did they somehow figure out your chocolate cupcake’s spot and crunch it? If it is a yes, then this article will help you out. Today we will help you with what to do if your dog eats a chocolate cupcake.

Why is chocolate toxic to dogs?

Why is chocolate toxic to dogs

Chocolate is one of the worst nightmares for every dog’s system. For a variety of reasons, chocolate is poisonous to dogs. Chocolate has a high-fat content. As a result, chocolate can cause pancreatitis in dogs. Any dog that takes a large amount of fat in a short period is at risk. Chocolates also include theobromine and caffeine, known as methylxanthines, a dangerous stimulant for dogs. Theobromine is known to dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure. While caffeine, on the other hand, produces dizziness and other symptoms in dogs.


What to do if your dog ate a chocolate cupcake?

While cupcakes with a pint of chocolate will cause minor damage, a whole chocolate cupcake can bring severe health issues to your dog. Even if the cupcake has only a small amount of chocolate like chocolate chips, it still will bring in vomiting or other symptoms. So contacting a Vet is compulsory. The first thing you should do is contact your Vet or go to a dog clinic immediately. Here are three other tips that will be helpful for you. 

Watch out for the symptoms

The first thing you should do is watch your dog for any signs of pain or a response after eating the cupcake. If they start vomiting or find it difficult to breathe, you should take them to the Vet. Irrespective of symptoms, calling a vet and informing them about the incident is a must. When you visit the Vet, you’ll be able to tell the symptoms to them for a quicker diagnosis and procedure. If the doctor finds no symptoms, it is good to go. But never try to determine by yourself whether your dog has symptoms by waiting a whole day.

Clean up the area and get rid of any leftover 

The next thing you don’t want is your dog to eat more. And so, you should quickly take other cupcakes and chocolate-based items away from your dog. If the cupcake’s leftover is on the ground or the table, wipe it clean before your dog licks it. Also, if the garbage can has chocolate leftovers, take them out before they dig and eat them.

Figure out what happened

As soon as your dog has eaten a cupcake, make a note of how giant the cupcake is, and what type of chocolate cupcake it was: dark, milk, or white chocolate. Dark chocolates cause more damage than white chocolate, while white chocolate also causes damage. You should also take note of any other ingredient in the cupcake that is dangerous to your, say, walnut, which is allergic to your dog. Taking note of these will help you inform the Vet, and the Vet will directly go to the procedures.

What are the symptoms of eating chocolate?

What are the symptoms of eating chocolate

When dogs eat chocolate, they usually show indicators of poisoning, such as:

  • Diarrhea 
  • Vomiting
  • Increased thirst/panting
  • Anxiety
  • Urination that is too frequent 
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Seizures 
  • Muscle tremors
  • Heart failure

How many chocolate cupcakes can a dog eat before becoming ill?

It’s impossible to say how many chocolate cupcakes are too much for a dog. This is influenced by several things, including the amount of chocolate in the cupcake and the dog’s height and weight. If a small dog eats even a tiny piece of a cupcake, it may become poisoned. On the other hand, large dogs may not be affected as much, but it can still induce vomiting and stomach trouble. Anyhow, taking your dog to the Vet as soon as they eat chocolate is the best option. 

What can you do to keep your dog from devouring chocolate cupcakes? 

Simple, you need to keep your chocolate items away from your dog. If your dog has the skill to climb on the table, keep the chocolates in a place that is unreachable for your dog not to access them. Secure the cabinets for the dog to not brush against them and open the door. If you’re eating a chocolate cupcake in front of your dog, then they’ll surely want to devour it. And so, try to eat when your dog isn’t around. Because after increasing their will to eat the cupcake, they can show destructive behavior when you don’t give them. 

FAQs

Q. What chocolate type has the highest rate of toxins?

Cocoa powder, baker’s chocolate, and dark chocolate are the types of chocolate with around 130-450 mg that can cause severe damage to your dog. Moreover, every sort of chocolate is toxic.

Q. What are the other foods dangerous to dogs apart from chocolates?

Citrus, grapes, raisins, nuts, avocados, onion, garlic, and dairy products are other dangerous food items. But they don’t affect as severely as chocolates and so keep your dog from chocolates and all of this. 

Conclusion

We hope the article was informative to you in finding what you should do if your snacks are chocolate cupcakes. Chocolates are a food item with many benefits for humans but not for dogs. As a dog’s digestive system cannot break down chocolate, its stimulants will break open in its stomach and cause severe damage. Make sure to keep your chocolate items away from your dog, not to let them devour them. Immediately contacting a doctor will reduce the chances of your dog getting sick. Have a nice day!

Leave a Comment