Why Dogs Can't Eat Chocolate

[Guest guest]

Thank you Butch for posting this very informative article. I've known for years

& years & warned folks about the danger of chocolate to dogs...I'm saving this

one so that I can share it. Onions are another thing that you have to be

careful of with dogs.

 

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!!!

donna

 

Donna Buchholz

Something Different Soap & Things

www.somethingdifferentsoap.com

-

Butch Owen

Why Dogs Can't Eat Chocolate

 

By: Dr. Dawn Ruben

 

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/why-dogs-can-t-eat-chocolate/page1.aspx

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Why Dogs Can't Eat Chocolate

 

By: Dr. Dawn Ruben

 

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/why-dogs-can-t-eat-chocolate/page1.aspx

 

Six ounces of semi-sweet chocolate can be toxic to the nervous system of

a 20-pound dog. Six ounces of semi-sweet chocolate can be toxic to the

nervous system of a 20-pound dog.

 

Chocolate is Toxic to Dogs

 

The worst a Hershey bar can do to you is add an inch to your hips. But

that same candy – even in relatively small amounts – can make a dog or

cat very sick. Make no mistake: For them, chocolate is poison.

 

In addition to a high fat content, chocolate contains caffeine and

theobromine, two different types of stimulants that affect the central

nervous system and the heart muscle, as well as increasing the frequency

of urination.

 

Symptoms of Poisoning

 

If your 50-pound dog gets his paws on a single chocolate-chip cookie, it

probably won’t cause him serious problems. However, if he gobbles up

more – a pan of brownies, say – he may develop vomiting or diarrhea.

 

Once toxic levels are reached, the stimulants kick in, and this is when

you really have to worry. Symptoms include: restlessness, hyperactivity,

muscle twitching, increased urination and/or excessive panting. If your

pet isn’t treated, he could go into a seizure – possibly even die.

 

How Much Is Toxic?

 

The amount of chocolate that it takes to poison your pet depends on the

type of chocolate he’s eaten and his weight. White chocolate has the

least amount of stimulants and baking chocolate or cocoa beans have the

highest. Here is a list of the most common sources of chocolate and the

amount that leads to toxicity:

 

# White Chocolate. Mild signs of toxicity can occur when 45 ounces per

pound of body weight is ingested. Severe toxicity occurs when 90 ounces

per pound of body weight in ingested. This means that a 20-pound dog

would need to ingest at least 55 pounds of white chocolate to cause

nervous system signs. A 10-pound cat would need to ingest 27 pounds.

Yes, that is twenty seven pounds! White chocolate has very little real

chocolate in it. Therefore, the levels of caffeine and theobromine are

very low. Tremendous amounts of white chocolate need to be ingested in

order to cause toxic signs from chocolate. It is highly unlikely that

white chocolate ingestion will result in the toxic neurologic signs but,

the severe gastrointestinal effects from a high fat food develop with

much less white chocolate ingestion.

 

# Milk Chocolate. Mild signs of toxicity can occur when 0.7 ounces per

pound of body weight is ingested. Severe signs occur when 2 ounces per

pound of body weight is ingested. This means that a little less than one

pound of milk chocolate can be toxic to the nervous system of a 20-pound

dog. A 10-pound cat would need to ingest 1/2 pound.

 

# Semi-Sweet Chocolate. Mild signs of toxicity can occur when 1/3

ounce per pound of body weight is ingested. Severe signs occur when 1

ounce per pound of body weight is ingested. This means that as little as

6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate can be toxic to the nervous system of a

20-pound dog. A 10-pound cat would need to ingest 3 ounces.

 

# Instant Cocoa. Mild signs of toxicity can occur when 1/3 ounce per

pound of body weight is ingested. Severe signs occur when 1 ounce per

pound of body weight is ingested. This means that as little as 6 ounces

of semi-sweet chocolate can be toxic to the nervous system of a 20-pound

dog. A 10-pound cat would need to ingest 3 ounces.

 

# Baking Chocolate. Mild signs of toxicity can occur when 0.1 ounce

per pound of body weight is ingested. Severe signs occur when 0.3 ounce

per pound of body weight is ingested. Two small one-ounce squares of

baking chocolate can be toxic to a 20-pound dog. A 10-pound cat would

need to ingest 1 ounce of baking chocolate. This type of chocolate has

the highest concentration of caffeine and theobromine and very little

needs to be ingested before signs of illness become apparent.

 

Even if your pet doesn’t eat enough chocolate to induce toxicity, the

candy’s high fat content may cause him to vomit or have diarrhea at much

smaller amounts than those shown. If that happens, watch him carefully.

If his symptoms don’t clear up within eight hours, call your

veterinarian (if your pet is very small or young, call within four

hours); aside from toxicity issues, you don’t want the animal to

dehydrate. Try to be as precise as you can about the type of chocolate

the animal ate, how much he took and approximately when he ate it.

 

The sooner you get help, the better off your pet will be. If the animal

is showing signs of toxicity, he has a good prognosis if he’s treated

within four to six hours of ingestion. The effects of the chocolate can

linger for 12 to 36 hours, though, so your pet may require hospitalization.

 

Legal Disclaimer

 

If your pet is showing any signs of distress or you suspect your pet is

seriously ill, CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN immediately.

 

All of the information presented on this website was developed by

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responsibility of Intelligent Content Corporation.