Can dogs eat chocolate cake?
This dog blog will answer the major question, “Can dogs eat chocolate cake?” we will also discuss the health hazards of consuming chocolate cake, the treatment of chocolate cake poisoning, and whether your dog can eat chocolate muffins.
Can dogs eat chocolate cake?
No, dogs cannot eat chocolate cake. Chocolate cake has theobromine, which is a compound that builds up in the body and is not easily cleared from the body. This is due to the slow metabolism of the theobromine in the body.
Consuming chocolate can cause gastrointestinal upset, increased heart, and respiration rate in your dog if left untreated.
What are the harmful effects of consuming chocolate cake for your dog?
Following are the unhealthy effects of consuming chocolate cake for your dog:
Gastrointestinal upset
Dogs’ stomachs are not designed to digest chocolate. Chocolate is a human product and it should be consumed by humans. If your dog consumes chocolate it will cause stomach upset in the body due to the indigestion of the chocolate.
The indigestion of the chocolate is due to the lack of enzymes in the body that can digest chocolate and its related ingredients.
Following are the major clinical signs of gastrointestinal upset in the body:
- Loss of appetite
- Bloat formation
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Lethargy
Liver problem
The next problem is liver damage. Theobromine is not easily metabolized and excreted from the body of your dog. The metabolism of the theobromine is slow which means it remains in the body for a longer period of time.
It can damage the liver and cause toxicity in the body. The liver is the central clearing house of the body, which means it has the responsibility to clear the metabolites of theobromine from the body. It also produces certain proteins such as albumin.
Following are the major clinical signs of liver damage in your dog:
- Edema
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Weakness
- Lethargy
Kidney problems
The next problem that arises is a kidney problem. Kidney problems are due to the theobromine that is not successfully excreted from the body. The pressure is put on the kidneys so the kidneys have to work more and more to eliminate such metabolites from the body.
Following are the major clinical sign of kidney damage in your dog:
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Less to no urine
- Increase blood urea nitrogen level in the body.
- Weakness
- Abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite
Sugar
Chocolate has a high amount of sugar content in it which can cause obesity and diabetes in your dog. Obesity can lead to joint problems such as arthritis. Following are the major clinical signs of arthritis in your dog:
- Joint swelling
- Loss of appetite
- Joint pain
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
Diabetes is another condition that can also lead to certain complications such as delayed wound healing and compromised immune system of the body. The compromised immune system can make your dog susceptible to other diseases.
What are the different concentrations of theobromine in different types of chocolates?
The highest amount of theobromine is in the baking chocolate while the lowest is in the chocolate used in the chocolate cake. The other ingredients of the chocolate cake decrease the theobromine concentration in the chocolate cake.
Similarly, milk chocolate has 2 mg per kg of theobromine in it, which means it can cause problems at 16 mg/kg in your dog. Dark chocolate has a high amount of theobromine which can cause toxicity in your dog.
Theobromine is a dangerous compound, and it is present in almost all types of chocolate. You should avoid giving such kinds of chocolate to your dog.
What is the treatment for chocolate poisoning in your dog?
You should call your vet if your dog ate chocolate cake. Your vet will examine your dog and treat it according to the condition of your dog. Your vet might go for vomiting in your dog to remove the undigested chocolate from the body of your dog.
Your vet will also go for fluid therapy on your dog to dilute the toxin in the blood. This will help the kidneys to remove the theobromine from the blood and from the body.
If the condition of your dog is severe your vet will advise you to admit your dog to the hospital.
Can dogs eat chocolate muffins?
No, dogs cannot eat chocolate muffins because they contain a high amount of theobromine and sugar, which is not healthy for your dog to consume. It can cause severe health conditions in your dog.
Conclusion
In this brief discussion, we answered the major question, “Can dogs eat chocolate cake?” we also discussed the health hazards of consuming chocolate cake, the treatment of chocolate cake poisoning, and whether your dog can eat chocolate muffins.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baking_chocolate
https://www.hepper.com/my-dog-ate-chocolate-cake-vet-answer/
https://animals.mom.com/what-should-i-do-if-the-dog-ate-a-piece-of-chocolate-cake-12372114.html
