My Dog Ate Brownies What Should I Do? [ANSWERED]

Most people cannot stand the smell of newly made brownies, so how can we assume our dogs to be any different? Dogs are naturally curious creatures who enjoy exploring their surroundings with their mouths. Many people love brownies to the point that they consume them regularly; however, on no occasion should your dog ever have a taste of them.

Do not be alarmed if your dog just devoured a brownie. Although chocolate is toxic to dogs and when it is in high quantity, it can be fatal. However, a dog will not die when it eats a brownie; the best step to take when your dog eats a brownie is to take it to a veterinarian. 

You cannot always keep an eye on your dog most of the time, and accidents such as your dog eating a brownie can happen. Hence, it is best to take preventive measures; for starters, make sure you keep all chocolate and brownies in locations your dog cannot reach.

Can Dogs Eat Brownies?

Brownies consumption is quite toxic and unhealthy for dogs. Truly, if you feed your dog brownies, it will finish it in no time. However, as a dog owner, you need to understand that the ingredients used in preparing brownies are toxic for dogs and could lead to health complications.

Some of the ingredients needed in preparing brownies are chocolate, flour, sugar, egg, and nuts. On some occasions, marijuana and xylitol could also be added, depending on how the consumer likes to have the brownies. We will be explaining the effects of these ingredients on dogs below.

Chocolate

This is why dog owners are often advised not to feed their pup brownies. If a brownie is made with chocolate, ensure your dog does not eat from it. Although there are different types of chocolate, their level of toxicity differs.

Dark and bitter chocolates are known to be the most toxic ones for dogs, as they have a high presence of cocoa content. This type of chocolate contains both theobromine and methylxanthine, dangerous to a dog’s health.

Now, when a dog consumes a brownie made with this chocolate, it could cause damage to the dog’s heart and nervous system. Also, if your dog consumes more of it, its toxicity symptoms could even worsen.

20mg of methylxanthine per kg of body weight would lead to mild symptoms. 40 – 60mg per kg consumed could lead to cardiac symptoms. However, anything exceeding 60 mg/kg consumed would lead to seizures, resulting in death.

Common symptoms of chocolate toxicity include restlessness, diarrhea, tremors, frequent urination, abnormal heart rate, tremors, seizures, and death. These symptoms are likely to occur within 6 – 12 hours after your dog has consumed the brownies and could last for 72 hours.

So, once you begin to notice any of the symptoms, you are best advised to get the dog to a vet as soon as possible. Delay in getting quick treatment could result in the death of the dog.

Sugar, Flour, and Egg

While these ingredients might not be toxic to dogs, too much of their intake is usually not advised. Some chocolate used in making brownies are not sweet, so plenty of sugar is usually required to make the brownie sweet.

In turn, the sugar could lead to diabetes in your dog. Also, when taken too much, flour could lead to some digestive problems and bloating. Also, when a dog consumes eggs too much, it could begin to develop allergies.

Considering how many of these ingredients are used in making brownies and their effect on dogs, you are best advised not to feed your dog brownies to avoid health complications.

Nuts

Although, it is not all nuts that are quite toxic to dogs. However, many of them contain a high-fat content, leading to pancreatitis and obesity for your dog. Brazil nuts, peanuts, almonds, and chestnuts are generally good for dogs.

However, if a brownie is made with nuts like macadamia nuts or black walnuts, they are quite toxic for dogs. These nuts can make dogs develop diarrhea, weakness, lethargy, and vomiting symptoms.

Xylitol

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is sometimes added to brownies. This is another ingredient that makes brownies toxic for dog consumption. Regardless of the amount consumed, a little amount could lead to hypoglycemia, liver damage, seizures, and even the death of a dog.

Marijuana

Some people prefer to add edibles to their brownies. Even as humans, eating such brownies usually has some effect of “highness.” Now, what do you think the effect would be on dogs, as they are even more sensitive to weed than humans?

So, to avoid your dog misbehaving, you are best advised not to feed your dog brownies. However, if your dog ends up eating such brownies, perhaps you forgot it on the couch, ensure you call a vet’s attention immediately.

How Much Chocolate Is In A Brownie?

Both chocolate and cocoa brownies have a home in our kitchen, despite subtle differences in how they bake. The type of fat used in chocolate and cocoa brownies differs the most in terms of ingredients; cocoa brownies frequently utilize oil, while chocolate brownies use butter.

Cocoa brownies have a stronger chocolate flavor than chocolate brownies, which are lighter and sweeter. The amount of chocolate in a brownie depends on how many brownies you make. A regular brownie contains both dark chocolate and chocolate chips; according to recipes, you will need 4 ounces of chocolate and half a cup of chocolate chips.

My Dog Ate Chocolate Brownies What Do I Do?

Dogs adore being given treats, and everyone appreciates chocolate; there are, however, some foods that are delightful and harmless for humans but are deadly to dogs. In dogs, theobromine has a significant level of toxicity and can potentially be deadly.

The amount of damage done by brownies is determined by the chocolate type used in the recipe. White chocolate is the least dangerous, then milk chocolate, and finally black chocolate. Dark chocolate is the worst for dogs since it includes more of the harmful chemicals caffeine and theobromine due to its greater cocoa content.

Always consult your veterinarian if you suspect your dog has consumed chocolate. It is preferable to treat the dog before it develops symptoms of chocolate poisoning. The veterinarian might advise you to bring the dog to the clinic if the problem is more serious.

In this scenario, the veterinarian may induce vomiting and administer activated charcoal to your dog. Toxic compounds are trapped in the dog’s intestines, preventing them from being digested and causing injury. Your dog should be hospitalized if it consumes many chocolate brownies.

It is highly helpful to have specific facts available to assist the veterinarian in deciding if your pet needs treatment. Timing is important in situations of chocolate poisoning, so contact your veterinary clinic as immediately as you detect your pet has ingested chocolate brownie. You should be able to tell your veterinarian how much chocolate brownie your dog has eaten.

The time your dog ate the brownie is also important because it influences the treatments that your veterinarian may recommend. You do not have to be exact; simply having a rough notion of how long ago the chocolate brownie was consumed is highly valuable. Your dog’s weight is also useful; if you are not sure, look over any recent documents from your veterinary office or take the weight yourself if you have weighing equipment.

Final Thoughts

If you suspect your dog has consumed brownies, especially chocolate brownies, hopefully, you already know how to go about it. The first step is to contact your veterinarian immediately for treatment. Also, make sure you do not give your dog brownies as treats and keep every brownie you have out of reach from your dogs.