Can Dogs Eat White Chocolate?

The Short Answer is:

The dogs should not be given any kind of chocolate, including White Chocolate. Despite the fact that White Chocolate is not milk chocolate or dark chocolate, dogs should not be allowed to eat it because of its high sugar and fat content.

In this article you will know the answer to the query “Can Dogs Eat White Chocolate?“.

At last years company holiday party I served White Chocolate cheesecake topped with Oreos. When I was making the cheesecake I dropped a few White Chocolate chips on the kitchen floor. My Labrador nibbled on one of them while I was picking them up. When I told him to spit it out he did so quickly. This situation led me to wonder “can my dog eat White Chocolate?” Heres the quick answer. 

Can dogs eat White Chocolate? White Chocolate is not suitable for dogs. White chocolate isnot as toxic to our dogs as milk or dark chocolate but it still contains a toxic stimulant called theobromine which can cause symptoms such as diarrhea vomiting heart attacks and seizures. A dog that consumes a great deal of White Chocolate may also experience symptoms of chocolate poisoning. 

We’ll explain in-depth why dogs should stay away from chocolate in this guide including White Chocolate. If you’re planning to share a piece of White Chocolate with your furry companions read this first. Lets get started!

Can dogs have White Chocolate?

The dogs should not be given any kind of chocolate including White Chocolate. White Chocolate differs from both milk and dark chocolate in the following ways: 

• The reason why white chocolate isnot really considered chocolate is that it does not contain cocoa solids or cocoa powder which are the primary ingredients in milk and dark chocolate. Milk chocolate usually contains between 45% and 85% cocoa. Dark chocolate contains between 30% and 40% cocoa solids.   
• Milk chocolate and white chocolate have different health benefits.  

White Chocolate is allowed to be eaten by dogs? Despite the fact that White Chocolate is not milk chocolate or dark chocolate dogs should not be allowed to eat it because of its high sugar and fat content. 

In the next section we’ll explore why White Chocolate is bad for dogs. 

Is White Chocolate bad for dogs?

Sugar and fat are added to White Chocolate so it is bad for dogs. When you feed your dog White Chocolate it is like giving him pure candy which can negatively affect his health. 

Compared to dark or milk chocolate white chocolate contains less theobromine (the poisonous component in chocolate for dogs) but it is also high in both sugar and fat.

As such White Chocolate does not provide our pets with any nutritional or health benefits but will instead cause them a host of health issues. 

Next we’ll examine how White Chocolates high fat and sugar content can harm your four-legged friends.

Does White Chocolate hurt dogs?

Yes dogs can become injured if they consume too much white chocolate. White Chocolate is high in fat and sugar as previously mentioned. Both of these ingredients are bad for your dogs health.

High sugar content in White Chocolate can cause weight gain and diabetes in dogs

The calories in just 1 ounce (28 grams) of White Chocolate are 153 there are 9 grams of fat (5 grams of saturated fat) and there are 17 grams of carbohydrates (17 grams of sugar). Consuming just one ounce of White Chocolate on a regular basis or daily will harm your pets health. 

In terms of White Chocolates nutritional profile we can see that more than 60% of it is simply sugar and the carbs in White Chocolate come exclusively from sugar. 

Consequently the carbohydrate in White Chocolate is a purely simple carbohydrate. Your dog may experience a sudden spike in energy and a crash after eating simple carbs especially those derived from sugar. Then you’ll see your pooch zooming around and suddenly crashing.  

Nutritional Profile of White Chocolate (1oz or 28 g)

Our four-legged friends are at risk of weight gain diabetes metabolic changes dental problems and even urinary tract infections (UTI) when they consume a lot of sugar such as White Chocolate.

High-fat content in White Chocolate can lead to pancreatitis in dogs

Additionally we can see from the nutritional profile that 1 oz of White Chocolate contains 9 grams of total fat. Saturated fat accounts for 5 grams of the total fat. 

Whenever our furry friends eat fattened foods they’re also consuming a lot of calories which is a bad choice for dogs who are already overweight or on a weight management program. 

Some dogs are unable to tolerate a high-fat diet which can lead to diarrhea and vomiting. Furthermore if dogs consume high-fat food or snacks on a regular basis such as White Chocolate they may develop pancreatitis.

Is White Chocolate poisonous to dogs?

When consumed in large amounts White Chocolate can be poisonous to dogs. Your dog will be fine if he or she accidentally ate a small piece of White Chocolate. 

Even so you’ll want to watch your pets closely for any signs and symptoms of chocolate poisoning or behavioral changes. In some cases the negative effects of eating a lot of white chocolate will not show up until several hours later.

Does White Chocolate contain theobromine?

White Chocolate does contain a small amount of theobromine and this stimulant or alkaloid is the reason why White Chocolate is poisonous to dogs. Lets talk about how theobromine can negatively affect your canine friends next.  

Theobromine in White Chocolate is toxic to dogs

White Chocolate is not shared with your furry pals in this case even if sharing is caring. This is because White Chocolate along with milk and dark chocolate contains a toxic stimulant called theobromine. 

Like caffeine theobromine has been used as a heart stimulant a smooth muscle relaxant a blood vessel dilator and a diuretic.  

Fortunately White Chocolate contains less theobromine than milk or dark chocolate. It does not mean however that White Chocolate can be shared with our furry friends. It is dangerous for your pooch to consume large amounts of White Chocolate. 

Below is a breakdown of how much theobromine is in each ounce of milk dark and white chocolate: 

• White Chocolate: 0.25mg of theobromine per ounce.
• Milk chocolate: 60mg of theobromine per ounce.  
• Dark chocolate: 200mg of theobromine per ounce.  
• Unsweetened baker’s chocolate: 390mg of theobromine per ounce.

Is White Chocolate deadly to dogs?

We can see that White Chocolate is fatal to dogs. Theobromine in White Chocolate should be avoided as much as possible by our canine friends because they are unable to metabolize it as quickly as we can. 

Theobromine is metabolized very slowly by dogs so when they consume large amounts of White Chocolate it builds up quickly in their bodies. Our canine friends are at risk of chocolate toxicity when their bodies contain high levels of theobromine. 

For dogs the lethal dose of theobromine is between 100 and 500 mg per kilogram of body weight. If your dog accidentally consumes this much theobromine from White Chocolate they can die.  

This is the lethal dose of theobromine for a 10-pound Chihuahua and a 70-pound Labrador mix.  

• It is legal to administer between 454 mg and 2270 mg of theobromine to a 10-pound Chihuahua dog.
• Theobromine is legal in doses between 3175 mg and 15875 mg for a 70-pound Labrador.

You can see that a larger dog can handle more White Chocolate than a small dog. 

Therefore we should always err on the side of caution by keeping White Chocolate away from our beloved pets. If you have half a bar of an unfinished bar of White Chocolate we recommend that you store it in a closed cabinet or on a high surface out of reach of your pets.

The following signs and symptoms may be seen in dogs with chocolate poisoning: 

• Extreme thirst
• Excessive urination
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Restlessness
• Increased heart rate
• Irregular heart rhythm
• Panting
• Muscle tremors
• High blood pressure
• Agitation
• Nervousness
• Seizures (in severe cases)
• Heart failure (in severe cases)

My dog ate White Chocolate! What should I do?

Here are some things you can do if you think your furry friend has chocolate poisoning.

What to do if your dog eats White Chocolate

We recommend that you contact your dogs vet as soon as possible if your dog has eaten White Chocolate. If you can not reach your veterinarian you should contact the Pet Poison Helpline. 

The poisoning caused by chocolate is very serious and requires immediate medical attention. As soon as possible treatment should be provided. The treatment your vet recommends will largely depend on how much White Chocolate your pooch consumed.  

Activated charcoal is administered to prevent theobromine absorption into the body and intravenous fluids (IVF) are administered to prevent vomiting.

You can use IVF therapy to stabilize your canine friends and promote the excretion of theobromine.

Is White Chocolate safe for dogs?

White Chocolate is not safe for dogs and dog owners are advised not to share White Chocolate with their pets. Your dogs should be fine if they accidentally eat a small piece of White Chocolate but please do not intentionally feed them it. 

White Chocolate contains high levels of sugar and fat as discussed above. A small amount of theobromine is also present.

In dogs these three factors can cause upset stomachs diabetes weight gain dental problems such as tooth decay and tooth loss metabolic changes pancreatitis and even chocolate poisoning.

White Chocolate and dogs

Can dogs eat White Chocolate chips?

Chips made from White Chocolate should not be eaten by dogs. White Chocolate chips should not be added to their diets or treats.

Because White Chocolate chips contain a lot of sugar and fat your four-legged friends are at risk of obesity diabetes upset stomach metabolic changes and pancreatitis. 

The sugar-free White Chocolate chips may also contain xylitol a sugar-free sweetener that is extremely toxic to dogs. The artificial sweetener xylitol in sugar-free White Chocolate chips can cause seizures in your dog or even death. 

Dogs should not be allowed to eat White Chocolate chips for these reasons.

Can dogs eat White Chocolate macadamia?

White Chocolate macadamia is not suitable for dogs. Both White Chocolate and Macadamias are harmful to dogs. Macadamia nuts in particular are poisonous to them. 

Even a tiny amount of food containing macadamia nuts can be fatal to dogs. 

When you eat White Chocolate candy with macadamia nuts or cookies with White Chocolate chips and macadamia nuts please do not share it with your beloved dog. Despite feeling bad they are not safe for dogs. Keep them safe from toxic foods by keeping them away from them.

There are some popular cereal brands that contain nuts including macadamia nuts walnuts and hickory nuts. Some popular nuts such as almonds pecans and peanuts have a high-fat content.

Can dogs eat White Chocolate Reese’s?

White Chocolate Reeses are not suitable for dogs to eat because they contain theobromine which is toxic to them in large quantities. Sugar and fat content are both high in white chocolate Reeses.

So can dogs eat White Chocolate?

White Chocolate should not be eaten by dogs as you can see. Keeping all kinds of chocolate away from your pets including White Chocolate is a good idea. 

Because of its high sugar and fat content White Chocolate is simply pure sugar for our furry friends and it also contains theobromine which is toxic to dogs. 

Therefore White Chocolate is not good for dogs in any way shape or form and should be avoided at all costs. 

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.