Dog ate chocolate from trash, now has watery diarrhea. Concerned?
Poor Brady! Fortunately, he's a pretty big dog, so a small amount of milk chocolate is unlikely to cause more harm than the stomach upset that he's currently experiencing. However, if the chocolate in your trash can was baker's chocolate, cocoa powder, or other dark chocolates, it could be a bit more problematic. Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, which can cause heart and/or neurologic issues. If Brady consumed any of these forms of dark chocolate, I recommend calling the ASPCA animal poison control line (888-426-4435) to determine if the amount he ingested is enough to cause toxicity. It's possible that Brady's watery diarrhea is due to stomach upset from ingestion of the chocolate, as well as anything else in the trash can. Dr. Orioles gave you some good advice regarding a bland diet. I agree that if the diarrhea continues for more than a day, or if he also starts to vomit, refuses to eat or drink, or becomes lethargic, that you should take him to his veterinarian for treatment. I hope that everything goes well!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025