Everyone knows
that chocolate is bad for dogs, don't they?
Well one owner in
South Wales was reminded of the problem when their dog consumed
the children's Easter Eggs, fortunately the dog was rushed to
the vet's and is now recovering.
So what caused it? Chocolate contains a chemical, theobromine, that is toxic to dogs. Dogs are not able to metabolize this chemical quickly enough within their livers, and this can be a problem if they ingest an overwhelming amount of chocolate.
Also, different types of chocolate have different amounts of theobromine in them. The higher the cacao content, the more theobromine the chocolate contains and the more toxic it is to dogs.
Theobromine is related to caffeine, and the symptoms of chocolate intoxication can resemble excess caffeine intake. Dogs can become agitated to the point of uncontrolled trembling. They can appear hypersensitive to noise and hyper-reactive to external stimuli. With higher levels of intake, seizures may occur. In severe cases, death can result.
Because the toxicity of theobromine is
dependent on a dog’s weight, a smaller dog ingesting the same amount as a
bigger dog has a greater chance of toxicity.
But the good news is
that treatment can succeed if symptoms are caught early, but to avoid any
problems keep dogs and chocolate away from each other.
Remember, the
chocolate products specifically produced for dogs does not pose this risk but
still remember, moderation in all things!
