It's Halloween, and if you're like me, there is a lot of chocolate in the house. Now you might be wondering why I am highlighting
Topper, my golden retriever, on a
Chocolate Blog, but there's a good reason. I've posted before that
chocolate is dangerous for dogs. I'm careful when I cook and bake with chocolate, because
golden retrievers -- well, most dogs -- will eat anything that drops on the floor. I only bake with good dark chocolate and that's exactly what can make Topper sick or worse.
Hills Pet Company has a very good article on
Chocolate and Dogs that I want to share. I'm also reposting a
Chocolate and Dogs Question &Answer about Halloween Candy. It's all good information for
Dog Owners (Guardians) who also happen to be
Chocoholics. Be safe!
Is Chocolate Bad for Dogs?
Chocolate is poisonous to dogs; however, the hazard of chocolate to
your dog depends on the chocolate type, the amount consumed and the
dog's size. In large enough amounts, chocolate and cocoa products can
kill your dog.
Why not chocolate?
- The toxic component of chocolate is theobromine. Humans
easily metabolize theobromine, but dogs process it much more slowly,
allowing it to build up toxic levels in their system.
- A large dog can consume more chocolate than a small dog before it suffers ill effects.
- A small amount of chocolate will probably only give your dog an upset stomach with vomiting or diarrhea.
- With large amounts, theobromine can produce muscle
tremors, seizures, an irregular heartbeat, internal bleeding or a heart
attack. The onset of theobromine poisoning is usually marked by severe
hyperactivity.
A single piece of chocolate should not be a problem.
A single piece doesn't contain a large enough theobromine dosage to
harm your dog; however, if you have a small dog that has eaten a box of
chocolates, you need to go to the veterinarian immediately.
Different chocolate types have different theobromine levels.
Cocoa, cooking chocolate and dark chocolate contain the highest levels,
while milk chocolate and white chocolate have the lowest. If you’re
dealing with any quantity of dark or bitter chocolate, err on the side
of caution. The high level of theobromine in dark chocolate means it
takes only a very small amount to poison a dog. Less than an ounce of
dark chocolate may be enough to poison a 44-pound dog.
The usual treatment for theobromine poisoning is to induce
vomiting within two hours of ingestion. If you are worried that your dog
may have eaten a large quantity of chocolate, call your veterinarian as
soon as possible.
Of course, never consider chocolate as a reward.
And here's another article on
Chocolate and Dogs and Halloween:
It's a Q &A between Neenda Pellegrini and Dr. Sheppard Thorpe, an emergency veterinarian at Puget Sound Veterinary Referral Center in Tacoma about Halloween and Pets that appeared in the Seattle Times. Read the entire article HERE.
Pet ingestion of Halloween treats can cause vomiting, diarrhea,
hyperactivity, pancreatitis, heart arrhythmias, seizures, liver disease,
kidney disease, gastrointestinal obstruction and even death.
Dangerous or even fatal chocolate toxicity is rare because knowledgeable
owners usually get their chocolate-eating pets into the clinic within a
few hours of ingestion. Once the pet arrives, we do what is called
"decontamination" -- vomiting is induced and then activated charcoal is
administered.
We also see pets with general vomiting and diarrhea from
gastrointestinal upset after they've eaten candy, wrappers and holiday
decorations. This can be very serious if the pet develops pancreatitis
or if the pet becomes very dehydrated.
A quick and timely response makes the treatment much easier on your pet and your wallet.
Question: Why is chocolate dangerous? Is some chocolate -- dark or
bittersweet chocolate -- worse than others, such as milk or white
chocolate?
Answer: Chocolate contains an active ingredient called theobromine,
which is toxic to pets. Theobromine is a stimulant that pets are more
sensitive to than people and can cause hyperactivity, elevated heart
rate, twitching and tremoring, vomiting and diarrhea and, worst of all,
seizures.
Dark chocolate is more potent, having a higher concentration of
theobromine, and, therefore, is more toxic. All chocolate (cakes or
brownies, milk chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate syrup, cocoa
powder) is considered "rich." Although not as serious as theobromine
toxicity, foods with high sugar and fat contents can cause serious
stomach and bowel problems. Decontamination and quick treatment is key.
Question: What harm can one little candy bar do?
Answer: It depends on the size of your pet, the presence of any
underlying conditions and the amount of chocolate your pet has ingested.
A Hershey's Kiss is safe for a 70-pound Labrador retriever to eat but harmful to a 3-pound Chihuahua.
Another problem with "just one little treat" is that dogs can develop a
liking to chocolate and soon may be climbing on the table to help
themselves to that whole bowl of Halloween candy.
The power of the dog nose can also help them find that wrapped box of
chocolates under the Christmas tree or hidden away for Valentine's Day. I
know one Beagle who learned to open the pantry, and he loved to eat the
brownie mix.
Question: What should I do if my pet accidentally eats chocolate? What symptoms should I watch for?
Answer: Call your regular veterinarian or local emergency/referral veterinary hospital for recommendations.
It helps to have the candy wrapper with the list of ingredients and percentage of cacao or cocoa in the product.
Monitor your pet for hyperactivity, elevated heart rate,
vomiting/diarrhea, tremors, twitches and seizures although preventive
treatment long before any of these symptoms is the best approach.
Check out
www.veterinarypartner.com
and look up
chocolate toxicity. This website has an excellent chart
comparing the number of ounces of chocolate a pet would need to ingest
for toxicity.
READ MORE HERE.
