Chocolate
poisoning in pets
Keep the baker's chocolate away from dogs
MetPet.com Staff Writer
Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine
which are methylxanthines and dangerous to your pets in large quantities.
Methylxanthines are mild stimulants and act on the central nervous system,
smooth muscle and cardiac muscle. They also act as diuretics which
increases the excretion of urine. A large
enough dose can lead to heart failure although death from chocolate poisoning is quite
rare.
Theobromine
Chocolate comes from the roasted hull of cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao).
Livestock and other animals that are fed cocoa-bean hulls and products derived from them
have been known to succumb to chocolate poisoning. Theobromine is also found in
varying quantities in colas and teas. Theobromine is absorbed through the intestinal
tract and can affect the heart, muscles, central nervous system and other parts of the
body.
The darker, the more dangerous
The darker the chocolate and the smaller the animal, the more dangerous the situation.
Baking chocolate is the strongest followed by dark chocolate and then milk
chocolate. Baking chocolate has 10 times the theobromine as milk chocolate.
White chocolate has negligible amounts of theobromine or caffeine.
500 mg/lb of weight is generally considered a fatal dose for dogs. Milk
Chocolate has approximately 50 mg/oz and Baking chocolate has approximately 500
mg/oz. Therefore, a 10 pound dog could die from an ounce of Baking
chocolate while a 100 pound dog may feel only minor effects from eating a milk
chocolate bar.
As little as 1/2 ounce of milk chocolate (or
one-tenth that amount of baker's chocolate) can cause signs of chocolate poisoning in
small animals.
Cats don't generally have a sweet tooth although
there are exceptions. Dogs, however, love the taste and smell of chocolate-laden
sweets that are common during the holidays. A small dog that gets into an entire
basket of chocolate brownies or finds the large bag of baking chocolate chunks may get
sick enough to need emergency vet care. Chocolate covered nuts seem especially
tempting to dogs.
Symptoms
Symptoms can include vomiting, hyperactivity, hyperventilation, muscle tremors,
shaking, dehydration, seizures and
coma. If you suspect your dog has eaten a large quantity of chocolate, note the
quantity and type ingested and watch your pet carefully. Symptoms may not show for
several hours after ingestion but usually show within 12 hours.
Treatment
There are a variety of procedures your veterinarian might use such as removing the
chocolate by inducing vomiting or using a gastric lavage to wash out the contents.
Activated charcoal may also be given to limit the body's absorption of theobromine.
Treatment may be needed for symptoms ranging from dehydration to
hyperexcitability.
People and
chocolate - a lighter note
Think it's fun to watch your cat go crazy over
catnip?
Maybe it's similar to the feeling you get from eating chocolate The US averages an
astonishing 11 lbs of chocolate per person per year. Considering that many people do
not eat any chocolate at all, that is an awful lot per chocolate-eating individual.
Related Information:
Potentially Toxic Food For Dogs
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