Dogs & Chocolate

Dogs & Chocolate

Q: Why is it bad to feed my dog Chocolate?

A: Because it CAN KILL!!!!

If you enjoy chocolate at this festive time of year you may be tempted to share it with your dog, but you need to know that chocolate is BAD dogs. If you give your dog just a few pieces of chocolate it can have fatal consequences.

Chocolate is extremely toxic for dogs as it contains THEOBROMINE, a substance that belongs to the group of methylxanines. Depending on the type of chocolate and the manufacturer, the amounts of THEOBROMINE will differ. However, dark chocolate is the most toxic for dogs, while white chocolate is relatively safe.

Another reason why chocolate may be bad for dogs is that some chocolates contain caffeine, which is another toxic substance for dogs.

How Much Chocolate Is Toxic?
Any amount of chocolate your dog eats may cause poisoning, however the amount of chocolate your dog eats that is not fatal will depend on several factors:

The size of the dog; smaller dogs may die even from ingesting reduced amountsof chocolate.

The amount of THEOBROMINE in the chocolate.

The amount of caffeine.

The strength of the immune system of the dog.

Generally speaking, a dose of 50 to 100 mg or THEOBROMINE per body weight may be fatal. However, some dogs may die from even less than that. The bottom line is that chocolate is toxic and shouldn't be given in any amount.

Even if the dog does not die after eating a bite of chocolate, it can still cause a lot of complications and you will need to visit the vet to remove the toxic substances from his body.




Signs of Chocolate Poisoning

If you suspect or you know your dog has consumed chocolate then watch out for these symptoms.

Frequent vomiting; you may see bits of undigested chocolate in the vomit.

Extreme agitation.

Drinking a lot of water.

Seizures .

Excessive drooling.

Pale gums.

Irregular pulse.

Unconsciousness.

Lack of coordination.

Sudden collapse.

Coma.

These symptoms will typically appear within a few hours after eating the chocolate and you need to get instant help.

If take your dog to the vet within four hours of consuming the chocolate, the toxins may not have not entered the dog's blood flow and the condition may be reversible. The vet will remove the contents of the dog's stomach and put him under liquid therapy.