Dogs and Chocolate

We have all heard it before "don't feed your dog chocolate"

But why ? Well chocolate contains theobromine, which is a xanthine compound, in the same family as caffeine and theophylline.

Toxicity occurs when 1 oz per pound of dog weight is ingested.

Quote :

Using a dose of 100 mg/kg as the toxic dose it comes out roughly as:
1 ounce per 1 pound of body weight for Milk chocolate
1 ounce per 3 pounds of body weight for Semisweet chocolate
1 ounce per 9 pounds of body weight for Baker's chocolate.

Clinical signs of toxicity include the following:

• Hyper excitability
  Hyper irritability
  Increased heart rate
  Restlessness
  Increased urination
  Muscle tremors
  Vomiting
  Diarrhea

If you suspect your pet has ingested chocolate contact your Vet immediately! They can help you determine the the proper treatment for your pet.

In Minneapolis there was a news report about a couple with a Labrado, who was poisoned and died as the result of eating 'cocoa bean mulch' which the couple had put out in their garden. Imagine their horror when they found their dog had died from a simple mistake of using cocoa bean mulch.

Poisoning and pets is a real threat.

Treatment

There is no specific antidote for this poisoning. And the half life of the toxin is 17.5 hours in dogs. Induce vomiting in the first 1-2 hours if the quantity is unknown. Administering activated charcoal may inhibit absorption of the toxin. An anticonvulsant might be indicated if neurological signs are present and needs to be controlled. Oxygen therapy, intravenous medications, and fluids might be needed to protect the heart.

Yes, it's true I'm sure we have all heard to not give our dogs chocolate. I didn't know why either- I really thought it was because it could cause them to have diarrhea and mess with their stomach.

I have not ever given our dog chocolate. 1 time she ate some Halloween candy- I could tell her stomach was upset ~ but she was ok.

The dangers of chocolate to dogs increased exponentially the smaller the dog is - this is one instance where I am glad I have big dogs!! A couple of M&M's are just fine for them:)

My friend's four year old daughter gave her dog a piece of chocolate and the dog got very sick. It was only a small piece of chocolate and my friend noticed right away and immediately took it to the vet.

The dog is fine but her little girl felt so bad. Now whenever the dog is fed the little girl asks if the food is safe for her doggy.

Yep, always make sure your dog doesn't eat something he's not supposed to. Remember they're smaller, and the lethal dose is smaller for them too.

I found out long ago that chocolate was toxic to dogs and it amazes me how many people still continue to feed it to them. It is a definite shame in my eyes.

Its good we have the internet to share this information with. I never knew that chocolate was poisonous to dogs until I read it on the internet.

Most people know about the danger of chocolate, but candy is no good for dogs either, yet many dog owners sometimes treat their dogs to a candy or two. We had a neighbor lady who kept giving candy to her dogs, and one dog began losing its fur because of it.

Though some times we feel that there is nothing wrong with the chocolates, but animals don't have digestive system like humans. Even a simple chemical can be fatal for them. It is proven fact that the dogs should never be fed with chocolates.

We give our babies chcolate. some have a major aversion to it. So not all babies like it. Our basset loves tootsie rolls, so he gets those usually nly two a day. He weighs 80 pounds and using teh formulae that was posted he would have to eat a whole bag! PLus he doesnt get it everyday. I do know that liek anything else allergies can make any situation worse. So maybe those that died so quickly from eating small amounts had an allegy as well.

julie