Image: THM for Coquet Vets
The festive season is fast approaching, which means our homes will soon be filling up with sweet treats and chocolate, some of which may be wrapped up as Christmas gifts. Whilst you may love nothing more than a bar of your favourite chocolate, these human treats should never be given to your pets—especially dogs. Chocolate is toxic for dogs, and in some cases, it can also be fatal.
In this article, we look at the key signs of chocolate poisoning in pets and what to do if you think your pet has eaten chocolate.
Why is chocolate toxic for pets?
Poisoning from chocolate in pets is due to the methylxanthine content, which includes the chemical theobromine and caffeine. This is toxic for your pets because they cannot metabolise the theobromine and caffeine as efficiently as people can. Theobromine is especially poisonous for dogs, and the amount of theobromine content varies with different types of chocolate. The darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more dangerous it is to dogs.
What are the symptoms of chocolate poisoning in pets?
If you know or suspect that your pet has eaten chocolate, there are some common clinical signs of chocolate poisoning to look out for. These include the following:
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Increased thirst
Panting or restlessness
Excessive urination
Racing heart rate
In severe cases, muscle tremors, seizures, and heart failure can be seen.
To work out if your dog has eaten a potentially toxic amount of chocolate, you can use the free chocolate toxicity calculator for dogs, which has been created by Vets Now. Just visit www.vets-now.com/dog-chocolate-toxicity-calculator and complete the questions.
Based on your answers, this website will calculate how toxic the chocolate is that your pet has eaten. You can then take appropriate action, which may require you to bring your dog to the practice for treatment without delay. If possible, please keep the chocolate wrapper or make a note of the type of chocolate consumed, as the ingredient information will be useful to determine any required treatment.
In this chocolate poisoning case study, we show how our vet, Emily, treated a Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Mal who was brought to us as an emergency after eating 500 grams of chocolate.
If you think your pet has eaten chocolate, please call us immediately for advice on 01665 252250.
