Is chocolate harmful
to your Bulldog? 

The short answer is yes.
So does this mean that you should
rush your Bullie to vet if he happens to grab
a chocolate chip cookie and run off with it?
Not necessarily.

The problem with chocolate and dogs is the chemical theobromine.
In sufficient amounts this chemical is responsible for toxic reactions.
It seems this chemical is in the same family as caffeine.
So how much is a sufficient amount to cause a toxic reaction?
A low estimate is that it takes approximately
100 milligrams of theobromine
per 2 pounds of dog body weight
to elicit a toxic reaction.

Below are listed the approximate levels
of theobromine per ounce for several common chocolate sources:

Milk chocolate has about 40-45 mg of theobromine per ounce
Semi-sweet chocolate contains about 150 mg of theobromine per ounce
Baker’s chocolate has almost 400 mg of theobromine per ounce

Using the above information we can approximate
that amount that must be consumed to be a problem:

Milk chocolate: 1 ounce per pound of body weight
Semi-sweet chocolate: 1 ounce for every 3lbs of body weight
Baker’s chocolate: 1 ounce for every 10lbs of body weight

What are the symptoms
of chocolate toxicity?

Restlessness, Increased heart rate, Tremors, Vomiting, Diarrhea,
Frequent urination, Hyper irritability and excitability

What is the treatment?

If you suspect that you Bulldog has consumed
a toxic amount of chocolate, call your vet immediately.
In some cases, you may wish to induce vomiting
within the first several hours.

If the consumed chocolate is milk chocolate,
diarrhea usually begins within 24 hours.
Make sure you keep your Bullie hydrated.