What is Valentine’s Day without a box of chocolates? And if
your dog is more family member than pet, you may be guilty of sharing human
food with them! Although some human foods are fine, in moderation, this is
definitely not the case with chocolate. Chocolate can poison your dog, making
them very ill and can even kill dogs.
No amount of chocolate is good for your dog to consume.
However, dark chocolate and baker’s chocolate pose a higher risk than milk
chocloate and white chocolate. Even small amounts of chocolate can
cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. Truly toxic amounts
can induce hyperactivity, tremors, high blood pressure, a rapid heart
rate, seizures, respiratory failure, and cardiac arrest.
So what should you do if your dog eats chocolate? Call your
Vet or Local Pet Emergency Clinic right away. Try to find out the type of
chocolate and amount of chocolate they ate. This is important information your
Vet will want to know. “Waiting it out” is never a good option. With any poisoning, it’s always cheaper, less invasive,
and has a better outcome if you treat early. Once your dog has already
developed symptoms and is affected by the poison, it makes for a much more expensive
veterinary visit!
