Do chihuahuas like chocolate?

[Erign]

I would like to start this by saying that I have never purposely given my dog chocolate, not even to test this. In her four years she's gotten ahold of chocolate repeatedly on holidays. My parents mail me easter baskets and valentines candy, and we always hide it as best as we can.
However, when she was little I had this fancy designer table a friend of mine gave me. I put an assorted chocolate valentine thing on it, and she tipped it over while I was at work. She ate at least five pieces, and nibbled into the coconut but seemed to be as picky as I am about the flavors. I got home and saw the chocolate and her sleeping peacefully on torn wrappers. I rushed her to the emergency vet and paid them $500 to play with her for a night. She never even threw up. Since then, the cat has knocked hidden chocolate stashes out of cabinets, she's stolen chocolate in the one second I would look away from MY snack, and various other accidental events.
Every other dog I've had would get violently ill from eating chocolate, but it never slows her down, and she really seems to search for it. She's a four year old long haired chihuahua.
Anyone else have a chihuahua with an iron stomach?

[growler~GateKeeper]

I think most dogs and cats like the sweet taste however just because she has not gotten sick doesn't mean she's been unaffected by it. It is still extremely dangerous for all dogs and cat and her especially since she is so small. It can cause heart, kidney, liver and brain issues down the road if it doesn't kill her right away.

Please lock all chocolate in a high cupboard with a latch on it or put it in the fridge.

[growler~GateKeeper]

You need to be especially careful since she is hypogylcemic, it could make symptoms not as noticable as in a dog that has normal blood sugar levels.

Was she born hypoglycemic or is this a result of her eating holiday chocolate?

[duttypaws]

you could keep it in a tin with a tight tight top..... ? My current cat likes potato chips I woke to find her bum sticking out a bag of organic unsalted chips.. (talking of posh taste!)! :|

i know my dog LOVED chocolate ... he used to eat a kitkat a day and one of the most funny memories is coming home to every advent calendar and wrapped chocolate presents under the tree all unwrapped and eaten....

i know its bad but well Max lived to a healthy age 16 and the only health problem he had was strokes towards the end...

just my

[Erign]

Oh, I was worried someone might think that, growler. She was always hypoglycemic though, the breeder told me to watch for the symptoms because her parents had the condition and it was very common in chihuahuas. She started having little episodes of lethargy within six months and the vet told me to give her some pancake syrup or peanut butter. Also, I take her to the vet once or twice a year for check ups, twice if she gets fleas since she is allergic to those and frontline is a sham. She's healthier then me.
Oh, and we've been keeping it in the fridge recently, which I hate cause it's rock hard frozen chocolate. She hasn't gotten ahold of any since the cat last broke into our cabinets and we moved it to the fridge.
Are all dogs really allergic to chocolate? It sounds like duttypaws had the same experience with her dog.

[growler~GateKeeper]

I know all about Chi's being prone to Hypogylcemia, my aunt & cousin have Chi's

It's not an allergy to chocolate, it's toxic. An ingredient called Theobromine in chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats. It acts similar to caffeine in coffee and a specific cardiac drug but much more severely. The general guideline of a toxic dose is 1 ounce of chocolate (depending on amount of theobromine in the chocolate {dark is the worst}) per pound of dog could kill them. :sad:

[hazelrunpack]

I hate refrigerated chocolate, too, so when we have any in the house, we keep it at room temperature in a tin cannister with a tightly fitting cover. Test the cannister first--drop it on the floor (and let it roll if it's cyllindrical) to make sure the cover won't pop off if your cat knocks it off the counter or table.

But with a dog as small as yours, I think "no chocolate" is the safest policy!

[Chris21711]

Earlier this year I read in the National Geographic that a 50 pound dog can tolerate 7ozs of milk chocolate and 3ozs of dark, it didn't specify how dark.

[ancientgirl]

I've read as well as have been told by my vet chocolate is very toxic to cats and dogs. I love chocolate, but I keep my stash in the cupboard, way in the back. I can't take the chance of them getting into it.

Once I was at the vets office picking up some medication and a woman had brought her beagle in because he'd eaten an entire box of Hershey's kisses. She came in told them what the dog did and they rushed her and the pup to the emergency room. If I hadn't read it or been told, that right there was enough to tell me if the professionals thought it was something to worry about I should take it seriously.

Sure maybe one day you see them having a piece, or two and they're okay, but I just wouldn't take that chance. My gang likes some sweet stuff, so now and then if I'm having a blueberry muffin I give them some, or a few licks of yogurt.

[want4rain]

fridge chocolate? ew.

[CyberKitten]

Enough chocolate ca kill a dog. WEhy would one even give a dog chocolate?

http://www.pets.ca/pettips/tips-20.htm