Chocolate is everywhere at Easter. On coffee tables, tucked into gift baskets, dropped by kids who don't know better. Most dogs who eat a small amount of milk chocolate will be okay, but that's a gamble most owners don't want to take.

The question we hear most around Easter isn't whether chocolate is bad for dogs. Most people know it is. The question is how bad, exactly, and what to give them instead.

What chocolate actually does to a dog's body

The culprit is a compound called theobromine, a stimulant in the same family as caffeine that dogs metabolise far more slowly than humans. A person processes theobromine in a few hours. A dog can take 17 to 18 hours to eliminate half of what they've ingested. That slow clearance is what turns a small indulgence into a prolonged physiological problem.

Theobromine affects the heart, kidneys, and central nervous system. In low doses, it causes digestive upset. In moderate doses, it triggers muscle tremors, restlessness, and an elevated heart rate. The picture at high doses is more serious: seizures, and in severe cases, death. The staggering part is how little dark chocolate it takes to reach a dangerous threshold in a small dog.

Not all chocolate is equally dangerous. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate carry the most concentrated levels of theobromine. White chocolate contains negligible amounts and poses little risk from theobromine specifically, though it's still pure fat and sugar with its own consequences. The Easter eggs in most Australian homes this time of year are milk chocolate, which sits somewhere in the middle.

Toxicity is dose-dependent and body-weight-dependent. A Labrador stealing a few squares of milk chocolate is a different situation from a Chihuahua getting into a bag of dark Easter eggs. When in doubt, the only sensible move is to call your vet.

Symptoms to watch for

If your dog has eaten chocolate and you're unsure of the quantity, call your vet. The Pet Poison Helpline is available 24/7. For small dogs, even a modest amount of dark chocolate warrants a call. The person who rings about nothing is in a better position than the person who didn't ring at all.

What you can actually give them

The useful thing about dogs is that they have no idea what they're missing. They don't know chocolate is a treat. What they understand is that you gave them something deliberate, and they want it. The occasion matters to them far more than the food itself.

That makes Easter a genuine opportunity. You can give your dog something that feels festive, that they'll go genuinely wild for, and that's actually good for them. Those three things don't usually come in the same package.

Insect protein is where it gets interesting. Our air-dried black soldier fly larvae treats aren't a nutritional compromise. For dogs with allergies, they might be the first treat their owner has been able to give them without consequences.

Dogs respond to them the way they respond to high-value treats. The crunchy texture and rich smell are enough. They're not sitting there wishing it were a Cadbury egg.

Making Easter work for your dog

It doesn't take much. Hide a few insect treats around the backyard after the kids have had their hunt. Your dog gets to participate in the hunt and comes away with something that's actually good for them. It's one of those rare moments where the better choice and the more enjoyable choice are the same thing.

If you've been looking for a good moment to try insect protein for the first time, particularly if you have a dog that reacts to conventional treats, this is a reasonable place to start. The evidence for novel protein in allergy management is solid. The palatability, as it turns out, is even more straightforward.