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My 8.5lb dog ate a pea-sized dark chocolate. Should I worry?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

My dog ate a very small.amount of dark chocolate about the size of a pea. He is 8.5 pounds. Should I be concerned?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Debi Matlack

Veterinary Technician

Published on May 10th, 2015

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. You may have gotten lucky this time. Initial symptoms might include vomiting and/or diarrhea, but it affects the nervous system and, in a large enough dose, will cause seizures and death. Keep the chocolate away from the dog. With a dog that small, as little as an ounce can cause serious problems.

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14Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

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    Answered By Mariya Gugel, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 14th, 2018

    Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Chocolate is definitely toxic to dogs, and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and tremors. The toxicity depends on the size of the dog (smaller dogs are more at risk), type of chocolate (dark chocolate being more toxic than milk chocolate), and amount ingested. If you notice Ivy or Snoopy exhibiting the signs above, they should be seen by a vet immediately.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 31st, 2019

    I would take Heaven into a vet immediately. Dark chocolate is the most toxic type of chocolate, and it takes the least amount to cause toxicity. It can take up to 24 hours for signs to show, so it's best to have her seen by a vet now to have treatment given for chocolate toxicity so that she doesn't have any issues. I hope this helps!

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    Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on September 16th, 2017

    Well that was naughty if him to do. This is a very small amount of chocolate for a pet his size to cause any major toxicity concerns. Here is a website link that allows you to input his amount of chocolate and weight to determine his toxicity. He ate less than 1 ounce of chocolate. At most you should expect some upset stomach issues for Mo, in which case giving him a bland diet of boiled plain chicken and rice or cottage cheese can help settle his stomach. Otherwise Mo should be just fine. I hope that everything works out well for Mo. Best wishes and keep him out of reach of chocolate from now on to protect him from reaching a toxicity level. Take care.

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