While chocolate is a beloved treat for us humans, it can be very harmful and even potentially fatal for the furry ones. Chocolate consumption by dogs is most likely to occur around holidays such as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. No matter how much we might try to hide our treats, dogs can be experts at sneaking around and finding what is not meant for them – I have plenty of shoes to back me up on this! Here we will explore why chocolate is so harmful, what to do if your pup consumes it, and what other foods you will want to keep away from your fur babies.
Health Risks of Chocolate
Even though chocolate is a delicious (and sometimes decadent) treat, it is not healthy or safe for our fur babies to consume. Chocolate contains stimulants called methylxanthines, specifically theobromine and caffeine. If consumed enough, they can lead to cardiovascular and neurological stimulation in our pups. This can cause rapid breathing, feelings of restlessness, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, or even death! Other symptoms of chocolate poisoning in dogs include:
- agitation
- hyperactivity
- excessive drool and vomiting
- diarrhea
- racing heart rate
- high blood pressure
- tremors
- twitching and seizures
- excessive urination
- increased thirst
What to do if Your Pet Eats Chocolate
One thing that you must know if your fur baby consumes chocolate or another one of these no-no’s is that mistakes happen! The most important thing to do is stay calm and contact your trusted veterinarian or a pet poison helpline. It is essential to communicate to your vet these factors: how much your pup weighs, type of chocolate eaten, quantity of chocolate eaten, and when they consumed it. This will help your vet determine whether or not the dose was toxic and allow them to plan treatment accordingly. If your vet determines that at-home care is sufficient in a chocolate-consuming incident, treatment options might include:
- inducing vomiting
- providing doses of charcoal to decontaminate the chocolate in your pup’s system
- giving sedatives to calm your pup down
On the other hand, if the dose is deemed too large, an immediate visit to the veterinarian’s office might be necessary.
Other Pet No-No’s
While this information is not meant to scare, it is important to know and understand the harmful effects of some other foods too. Other tasty treats that are harmful to our pets include:
- onions
- garlic
- chive
- macadamia nuts
- corn
- avocado
- artificial sweeteners
- alcohol
- cooked bones
- grapes/raisins
- apple seeds
- coffee beans
- salt.
Conducting your own research and consulting an expert before feeding your fur baby human food is the number one way in preventing poisoning. A good rule of thumb is “when in doubt, look it up,” meaning if you’re about to hand your dog something really delightful off your plate, do a little query first. You’ll save yourself and your pet from some drama and your pocketbook will thank you too.
