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Dogs will be dogs! When they see you eating something that smells good to them, your fur baby may beg for some. For some reason, dogs seem drawn to cookies and other snacks that contain chocolate! Some creative dogs may even wait until you’re out of the room and then hop up on the counter and snarf down one or more cookies! But what if these are chocolate cookies?
Has your dog eaten chocolate cookies? Are you worried the cookies 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 chocolate cookies and whether they can make a dog sick. Let’s get started!
What are Chocolate Cookies?
Chocolate cookies are cookies made with a ton of chocolate. The type of chocolate may vary by recipe. But the result is a warm, soft chocolatey delight that melts in your mouth! Who wouldn’t love a chocolate cookie?
There are many recipes for chocolate cookies, but most contain these ingredients:
- Unsweetened cocoa (lots of chocolate)
- Sugar
- Fat (butter, margarine)
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Optional nuts
Just reading those ingredients can make you hungry for a chocolate cookie! While these ingredients are safe for humans (in moderation), what about dogs? Can chocolate cookies make a dog sick?
Chocolate Cookies & Dogs
Unfortunately, chocolate cookies are toxic to dogs. The main culprit is unsweetened cocoa, which is chocolate by another name. Unsweetened cocoa is powdered chocolate which contains high amounts of theobromine and caffeine. These substances are toxic to dogs and can cause death in dogs.
The other ingredients that are problematic are sugar and fat. Cookies contain high amounts of both ingredients, which can also be bad for dogs. Dogs can develop sugar toxicity, and the fat used in chocolate cookies can cause pancreatitis.
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Ask a Vet Live NowSymptoms of Chocolate Cookie Ingestion in Dogs
You may notice these symptoms if your dog has eaten chocolate cookies:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Increased thirst & urination
- Panting
- Restlessness
- Racing heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Seizures
If your dog shows any of these symptoms, call the vet immediately. This is an emergency.
Treatment of Chocolate Toxicity in Dogs
The vet may try to induce vomiting if your dog has recently eaten chocolate cookies. They may also treat your dog with activated charcoal. Both of these methods work to remove the toxins from your dog’s body. In addition, your dog may be given an IV for fluids and to administer medications.
The vet will also treat any other symptoms as they come up. Chocolate poisoning is very serious in dogs, and so your fur baby may need to be hospitalized for a few days.
As with other human foods, it’s best to keep all chocolate cookies and anything containing chocolate out of your dog’s reach. Prevention is always the best medicine!
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Tom
Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!
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