Easter is almost here so its time to pay attention to the chocolates in your household as they can become an enticing snack for the pets in your family. Its important to keep in mind how toxic chocolate can be for dogs.
Why is chocolate toxic for dogs?
Chocolate is toxic for two reasons:
1. Theobromine is dangerous for dogs.
This chemical functions a lot like caffeine does. It works as a diuretic, heart stimulant, blood vessel dilator and smooth muscle relaxant. This can lead to dehydration very quickly and can lead to other problems. It’s important to remember the more bitter the chocolate is the more toxic it is. This means that dark baking chocolate is extremely toxic while white chocolate is not as potentially dangerous. In saying that all types of chocolate can be harmful and toxic to dogs.
2. Dogs can’t have caffeine
All types of chocolate contain at least some form of caffeine, although some are more caffeinated than others. The presence of caffeine can cause your dogs heart to race too quickly and can cause serious health problems as a result. This is the same reasons dogs shouldn’t ingest coffee.
How much chocolate is poisonous to a dog?
The amount of toxic theobromine varies with the type of chocolate. The darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. Baking and gourmet dark chocolate are highly concentrated and contain 130-450mg of theobromine. Common milk chocolate only contains about 44-58mg. Even if the amount eaten is not a toxicity concern, dogs can still become ill from the fat and sugar content in the chocolate. This can lead to pancreatitis in severe cases or for dogs who have sensitive stomachs.
What are the clinical signs of chocolate toxicity?
The clinical signs depend on the amount eaten and the type of chocolate eaten. For most dogs the common clinical signs are vomiting, diarrhoea, increased thirst, panting or restlessness, excessive urination, and a racing heart rate. In severe cases symptoms can include muscle tremors, seizures and heart failure.
Complications such as developing aspiration pneumonia from vomiting can make the prognosis for chocolate toxicity worse. Clinical signs of chocolate toxicity can take several hours to develop. Symptoms due to large exposure can last days due to the long half-life of theobromine. This means that it remains in the blood stream for a longer period. The theobromine may be
reabsorbed from the bladder, so the use of IV fluids and frequent walks to encourage urination may be necessary. It is important to seek medical assistance if you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate.
What should I do if my dog has eaten chocolate?
Contact your veterinarian or local vet to see if a toxic amount of chocolate was ingested. The vet will generally ask you the following questions.
- How much does your dog weight?
- What type of chocolate was eaten?
- How much chocolate was eaten?
- How long ago was the chocolate eaten?
What is the treatment for chocolate toxicity?
Treatment depends on the amount and type of chocolate eaten. If treated early, decontamination including inducing vomiting and administering activated charcoal to prevent absorption of theobromine into the body may be all that is required.
It is common to provide supportive treatment such as IV fluid therapy to help stabilise a dog and promote theobromine excretion. All dogs who have ingested a toxic amount of chocolate should be monitored closely for any signs of agitation, vomiting, diarrhoea, nervousness, irregular heart rate and rhythm and high blood pressure.
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