e hope you had a wonderful Easter and were able to relax a little. However Easter is one of the highest risk times for animals to be exposed to chocolate so we thought you might like to learn more about it.. While we humans love to indulge a little, chocolate can be toxic to dogs.
Chocolate contains theobromine which is a stimulant and is poisonous to dogs.
Some signs to watch for are
• Thirst
• Diarrhoea
• Excitability
• Pacing
• Panting
• Shaking and even
• Seizures
The effect of eating chocolate on your pet will depend on
• the amount eaten
• the type of chocolate (cooking chocolate and dark chocolate have a lot more theobromine than milk chocolate and therefore are more toxic).
• the size/weight of your pet. A Chihuahua will be affected by eating a much smaller amount than a Great Dane.
The best treatment is to induce vomiting to remove the toxin from the body as soon as possible. If the chocolate was eaten too long ago and has passed the stomach then your vet will discuss any appropriate treatment. This may include supportive treatment in hospital.
The best solution is the keep the chocolate out of reach of your pets and enjoy them yourselves!!
