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My dog ate chocolate brownies and is throwing up. Is he okay?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Havanese | Male | 7 years and 10 months old | 23 lbs

My dog ate some brownies, its been about 6 hours and now hes drinking a lot of water throwing up and eating grass...Please help

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Debi Matlack

Answered By Debi Matlack

Veterinary Technician

Published on January 2nd, 2018

The effects of chocolate on a pet depends on a few factors: how big the pet is, how much they ate, and how dark the chocolate is. The darker the chocolate, the higher the concentration of theobromine, the ingredient that pets are sensitive to.
Cocoa powder can have up to 10 percent theobromine. It's all dependent on how dark the chocolate is, where the cacao beans are grown and the brand. According to Hershey's, the theobromine content for their different types of chocolate is as follows.
1½ ounce Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar - 74 milligrams
1½ ounce Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Bar - 184 milligrams
1½ ounce semi-sweet chocolate chips - 165 milligrams
1½ ounce unsweetened baking chocolate - 466 milligrams
1 Hershey's Kiss - 8.2 milligrams
2 tbsp chocolate syrup - 70 milligrams
Theobromine is digested and metabolized very slowly in dogs. The alkaline substance increases the heart rate and slows blood pressure. It also increases urination, causing dehydration. In addition, many digestive problems can occur. Symptoms to watch for generally occur in the first 12 hours. They include:
Diarrhea
Excitability
Increased urination
Irritability
Muscle tremors
Rapid pulse
Restlessness
Vomiting
Left untreated, the dog can develop seizures and die from ingesting too much chocolate. This is where it is important to know exactly how much your dog has eaten.
It's important to contact your veterinarian if your dog eats chocolate. In mild cases, you'll be advised to induce vomiting within the first two hours and then watch for signs of chocolate poisoning. If anything alarming occurs, seek veterinary care immediately.
If veterinary care is necessary, charcoal is used to absorb as much theobromine as possible. The stomach may be pumped to remove additional chocolate before it digests. The heart is closely monitored and arrhythmias will be treated if they occur. IV fluids may be ordered to prevent dehydration. Seizures will be treated with medications.
According to the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, ingesting 20 milligrams of theobromine can cause mild poisoning. Ingesting 60 milligrams can lead to seizures. A lot of this depends on the dog's size.
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Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 3rd, 2017

    Oh that wasn't good that Rowan ate the brownie! Luckily, these brownies aren't very big and likely aren't made with a lot of chocolate. Without knowing the exact chocolate content (which I'm having trouble finding online), I can't say for certain if he will be ok or not for sure, but this small amount is unlikely to cause problems. You may see some vomiting and diarrhea from the sugar content, and I can give you a home remedy for him if you do, but if you see any muscle tremors, increased heart rate, increased urination, or seizures, I would take him into the vet immediately. It can take up to 24 hours for chocolate toxicity to occur, so I would monitor Rowan over this time period.

    Home remedy:

    Withhold food for 12-24 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet.

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    5Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on July 22nd, 2018

    Hello, I'm sorry to hear about Jasper. Im unable to find the how much chocolate is in each brownie and wether its dark or milk chocolate. Once this information is obtained, you can check a chocolate toxicity calculated online to determine if you should be worries or call the Pet Poison Control line to see if they think this amount of chocolate in single brownie is of concern. Alternatively, you can brink Jasper to your local Emergency clinic to have make him vomit the brownie so that he does not absorb any of the toxins.

    Mild signs of chocolate ingestion include vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. Moderate signs include changes in blood pressure and a rapid heart rate. Severe side effected include seizures. If you note any of these, then have Jasper seen immediately. Hope this helps and best of luck.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 16th, 2022

    The answer to your question depends on how big the brownie was that Penny ate, how much chocolate was in it, and what type of chocolate. Dark chocolate is the most toxic type of chocolate and it takes the least amount to cause toxicity. Signs of chocolate toxicity can occur between 6-12 hours, sometimes longer. You need to keep an eye on her for signs of toxicity including vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, panting, restlessness, excessive urination, and/or increased heart rate. If you see any of those signs, you need to take her into a vet immediately. If the brownie she ate contained dark chocolate, I would take her into a vet now for fluids because of the higher risk of toxicity with dark chocolate. I hope this helps!

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Vet Q & A
What should I do if my dog ate chocolate brownies and seems fine?
It's difficult to know how much the actual cocoa content is in this, but brownies tend to be more concentrated with cocoa powder, which is concerning for chocolate toxicity. It also depends on the size of the brownies. In order for you to determine the potential for toxicity, I recommend you estimate the amount of cocoa powder potentially ingested and use the chocolate toxicity calculator at this link: http://veterinaryclinic.com/chocolate/calc.html Signs of chocolate toxicity can be vomiting, hyper-excitability, tremors and seizures. If you notice any of these signs, then it's best to take her to a vet for treatment/monitoring as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done at home for this. It's best to make sure she has plenty of water and that you check her every four hours for any signs of toxicity. If she is better within 12 hours, then I would not worry about any signs of toxicity. I hope that helps and all is well with her.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog ate brownie mix. What are the signs and what should I do?
If this was a milk chocolate mix then he should only end up with mild to moderate symptoms: - GI signs (vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite) - Increase thirst and urination - Tachycardia (fast heart rate) and hyperexcitability, high blood pressure - Neurological signs If this was dark chocolate, bakers chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, then he ate a toxic dose and should go to the ER as soon as possible! I suggest you do the following if decide not to go to the ER now: 1. If he will eat it, give him one or two slices of plain bread now. Sometimes that helps with the diarrhea and will slow down the GI tract. 2. Then, no food for 6-8 hours. Water should be available at all times. 3. If no vomiting after 6-8 hours, then start feeding small amounts of a bland diet every few hours. Bland foods like: scrambled eggs, plain rice, plain pasta, boiled chicken or turkey, human baby foods (meat flavors). No butter, oil or spices on the food. 4. If vomiting starts at any time or he becomes VERY restless then you should get him to the ER for an exam as soon as possible. I hope this is helpful! Best wishes.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog ate dark chocolate. What do I do if I'm far from a vet?
Hello and welcome to PetCoach. Depending on the amount of chocolate (number of grams) as well as the weight of Caramel. For example, 10gm of dark sweet chocolate will be fine, where 30gm will produce mild signs (vomiting and diarrhea) and 50gm will cause severe signs (tremors, seizures, possible death). This is depending on the % of cocoa in the chocolate. If it is dark baking chocolate as little as 12gm can cause severe signs. You can use the link http://www.mosmanvet.com.au/Services/ChocolateToxicityCalculator/tabid/28761/Default.aspx to approximate the level of toxicity. Making your dog vomit with salt is itself very dangerous, as if the salt doesn't result in vomiting then you can end up giving your dog salt toxicity, which is very serious. Please don't give any more salt. If you can get her to a vet to induce vomiting this is best, otherwise all you can do is wait and see. If she starts having vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, tremors or seizures then you are seeing signs of chocolate toxicity and need to see a vet ASAP. Best of luck with your little Caramel.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog ate dark chocolate and is vomiting and shaking. What to do?
The amount of theobromine your pet has been exposed to is relatively low but he is showing some worrying signs of toxicity, for that reason i strongly recommend that you take him to the vet ASAP just in case he needs supportive treatment to go through this phase of potential toxicity.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My small dog ate chocolate. Is it safe to make him vomit at home?
At this amount of chocolate and with Brewster's rate, the methylxanthine Level is 42.24mg/kg, which will only cause a mild reaction. You may see some vomiting, diarrhea, shaking, increased heart rate, or increased urination. I personally do not recommend making him vomit. The reason is that hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can and does cause severe esophagitis and gastritis, often worse than the initial problem, so it's always preferred to advise emergency care. In this case, Brewster should be fine because at most he will only experience a mild reaction and I can give you a home remedy if you see any vomiting or diarrhea. Withhold food for 12-24 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog ate Hershey Kisses and is vomiting wrappers. Is he okay?
Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Louie! One Hershey kiss weighs about 4.46 grams so 20 is about 89.2 grams of milk chocolate. For Louie that is a toxic dose where vomiting and diarrhea will occur. Since he is vomiting he should be seen by your Vet for an exam, anti-nausea medications and fluids today. If he is having diarrhea they can provide medications to help with that. Once the vomiting stops he should be fed a bland diet for 3-7 days. You can purchase a diet from your Vet or cook for him by boiling chicken or hamburger and combining it with rice. Feed 1 cup per 20 lbs per day. I wish Louie the best!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My 15lb dog ate milk chocolate hearts. Should I be concerned?
You can expect mild gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea or decreased appetite). The amount is not enough to cause serious toxicity in a 15lb dog, but you should still monitor for tremors, increased heart rate, hyperactivity or seizures. Minor GI upset can usually be managed at home with a 24 hour fast followed by a bland diet in small, frequent amounts until symptoms resolve. Ideally, Mojito should be examined by your veterinarian or at the nearest veterinary ER. Either can induce vomiting if the ingestion has happened in the last two hours, then administer activated charcoal to further inhibit absorption.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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