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Who doesn’t love chocolate? Its scrumptiousness melts in your mouth, leaving the amazing taste of chocolate behind! No matter what kind of chocolate, it tastes great. Hershey bars are one example—they taste great and are the perfect snack for your day! But what happens if your dog eats a Hershey bar?
Has your dog eaten a Hershey bar? Are you worried the Hershey bar will make your dog sick? If so, you’ve come to the right place. We understand it can be scary when your dog eats something like this.
We’ve put together some information about Hershey bars and whether they can make a dog sick. Let’s get started!
What is a Hershey Bar?
A Hershey bar is a chocolate bar made by the Hershey Company, which calls this delicious treat “The Great American Chocolate Bar.” Hershey bars have been produced since 1900! That’s a long time, and yet the company’s recipe continues to be a favorite not only in the US but also around the world.
Hershey’s makes several different chocolate bars, including some that are milk chocolate (the typical Hershey bar), milk chocolate with almonds, dark chocolate bar, dark chocolate with almonds, and more. In each chocolate bar, Hershey uses milk chocolate; the milk comes from local farms. The company uses a special process to create its chocolate bars distinctive, tasty chocolate.
While chocolate is safe for humans (always in moderation), what about dogs? Can a Hershey bar make a dog sick?
Hershey Bar & Dogs
Unfortunately, Hershey bars can make a dog very sick. The problem is that chocolate is toxic to dogs. The principle is that the darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is. So, dark chocolate is more toxic than milk chocolate, and so on.
Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine, along with caffeine. Both of these are toxic to dogs. Dark chocolate contains the highest amounts of these two substances, making it more toxic than other types of chocolate. Dogs are not able to metabolize theobromine and caffeine. These substances stay in the body longer and can cause major health issues in dogs.
But the level of toxicity also depends on how much chocolate the dog has eaten. For instance, a small dog that eats the same amount of chocolate as a larger dog could become sicker than the larger dog. That’s because the small dog has a higher level of theobromine and caffeine per pound of body weight than the larger dog.
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Ask a Vet Live NowSymptoms of Hershey Bar Toxicity in Dogs
You may notice these symptoms if your dog has eaten a Hershey bar:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Increased body temperature
- Increased reflex responses
- Muscle rigidity
- Rapid breathing
- Increased heart rate
- Low blood pressure
- Seizures
- Cardiac failure
- Weakness
- Coma
If you notice these symptoms in your dog, call the vet immediately. This is an emergency.
Be sure to let the vet know how much of the Hershey bar your fur baby has eaten. And tell the vet if the bar contained any other ingredients, such as almonds. Some ingredients can also be toxic to dogs.
The prognosis is best for dogs who receive prompt medical treatment. And the good news is that dogs rarely die from chocolate; however, it has been known to happen.
So, be sure to keep Hershey bars out of your dog’s reach. If your canine friend is a chocoholic, you may want to try giving him dog treats made with carob. They taste like chocolate but are perfectly safe for your dog!
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Julie
Julie is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, where she studied Animal science. Though contrary to the opinion of her parents she was meant to study pharmacy, but she was in love with animals especially cats. Julie currently works in an animal research institute (NGO) in California and loves spending quality time with her little cat. She has the passion for making research about animals, how they survive, their way of life among others and publishes it. Julie is also happily married with two kids.
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