# 45lb dog ate 4 reese's peanut butter cups



## canadianmom2three (Jul 15, 2011)

From what I understand, and have read, the amount of milk chocolate in reese's peanut butter cups is not enough to cause serious illness in a 45lb hound mix, even after 4 of them. Since it is 10:45 here, I can't call the vet to get her opinion, and as Bella is not exhibiting any signs of distress (in fact, she is currently begging for a treat) after half an hour, so it seems as though it is not affecting her too badly (yet). However, I'm interested to know if I should stay up and keep an eye on her overnight, or have her sleep in our room in case she is going to be sick etc. Thanks for any advice!!


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## Pawzk9 (Jan 3, 2011)

canadianmom2three said:


> From what I understand, and have read, the amount of milk chocolate in reese's peanut butter cups is not enough to cause serious illness in a 45lb hound mix, even after 4 of them. Since it is 10:45 here, I can't call the vet to get her opinion, and as Bella is not exhibiting any signs of distress (in fact, she is currently begging for a treat) after half an hour, so it seems as though it is not affecting her too badly (yet). However, I'm interested to know if I should stay up and keep an eye on her overnight, or have her sleep in our room in case she is going to be sick etc. Thanks for any advice!!


I'd keep an eye on her, but I had one dog (about that size) who ate 2 lbs. of M&Ms and didn't even get an upset stomach.


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## amynrichie (Sep 3, 2008)

I had a pug die from eating chocolate, it was A LOT more than that though. You can induce vomiting with hydrogen peroxide, which our vet's first line advice. Most vets have an answering service and an on call vet, talking to the on call might be a good idea.


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## RoughCollie (Mar 7, 2011)

http://www.thehersheycompany.com/nutrition-and-wellness/chocolate-101/theobromine.aspx

A 1.6 oz. (45 gr) Reese's Peanut Butter Cup has 30 mg of theobromine, which is what is poisonous to dogs.

The Hershey's website has the following suggestion: 

If you suspect your pet has eaten any of the following, please note the amount ingested and contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

What information will I need when I call you?

When you call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center hotline at (888) 426-4435, it’s most helpful to be ready with the following information: - the species, breed, age, sex, weight and number of animals involved
- the animal’s symptoms
- information regarding the exposure, including the agent (if known), the amount of the agent involved and the time elapsed since the time of exposure.

Have the product container/packaging available for reference. Collect in a sealable plastic bag any material your pet may have vomited or chewed. 

How much does it cost to use the APCC hotline?

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at (888) 426-4435. There is a $65 consultation fee, payable by credit card, for this service. This includes follow-up consultation should you or your vet need further assistance with your pet’s case. 

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/animal-poison-control-faq.aspx

*Notes on Chocolate Toxicity in Dogs *
http://netpet.batw.net/articles/choc.tox.html

"Chocolate - active ingredient = theobromine:

The half life in the dog is 17.5 hours

The Toxic dose in the dog is 100-150 mg/kg.
A kilogram (kg) = 2.2 lbs.
A milligram(mg) = 1/1000 of a gram 

So for a 50 lb dog a toxic dose would be roughly 2.2 grams (2200 mg) of pure chocolate.

However the concentration of theobromine varies with the formulation of the chocolate so:

Milk chocolate has 44mg/oz (154mg/100gm): toxic dose for 50 lb dog - 50 oz of milk chocolate.

Semisweet chocolate has 150 mg/oz (528mg/100gm): toxic dose for 50 lb dog - 15 oz of semisweet chocolate

Baking chocolate 390mg/oz (1365 mg/100gm): toxic dose for 50 lb dog - 5 oz of baking chocolate "


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## kathylcsw (Jul 4, 2011)

I had 2 dogs get an unopened bag of chocolate chips off the table and eat the whole bag. It is hard to say how any individual dog will be affected. I hope your girl is ok.


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## canadianmom2three (Jul 15, 2011)

Thanks everyone, 
I stayed up for quite a while and watched her, but she was no different than ever. We put her in our room, and while she did get up in the middle of the night and ask to go outside, all she did was pee. She is perfectly normal this a.m., and ate all her breakfast, so it seems she had absolutley no ill effects, thanfully. The kids on the other hand (who left the chocolate out) aren't getting off so easy:wink:


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

I was up quite late until early morning hours today and was hoping she was not poisoned. I was just checking back on this thread. I am glad she is not poisoned...............as for the ones who left the Reese's out..................I hear ya!


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

If there's 30 mg of theobromine in a peanut butter cup, and toxic dose is 100-150 mg per kg, than 4 cups would be toxic to a 2.2-pound dog . And I'm not even sure such a little guy could fit that much in his stomach! So no wonder that your dog didn't even get an upset tummy. It's the dark chocolate you have to worry about, and even with that they still have to eat a lot of it (a normal candy bar is 3 oz. . .so even if it was baking chocolate the entire bar wouldn't be enough to be toxic to a 45-pound dog).


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

Modest quantities of milk chocolate are more likely to cause a (possibly major) upset tummy than a toxic reaction. 

There's a reason they're called the Hershey Squirts.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Yea although each dog reacts a little differently, the toxic dose of MILK chocolate is approximately 1 oz chocolate/pound of body weight. So a dog has to eat quite a bit of milk chocolate for it to be toxic. 

Of course, semi-sweet, dark, or baking chocolate are a completely different story.


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