DOG HEALTH Care information – Chocolate Poisoning in the Dog Leave a comment

However, if your furry best friend eats a large amount, you may want to call your vet just to be safe. Your best bet is to put the chocolate on a high shelf or in a cabinet or drawer your dog can’t access. • If your dog eats chocolate, you should monitor them closely and seek veterinary attention if they show any symptoms, or if they are very young, pregnant or have other health concerns. Theobromine toxicity has been reported from levels of about 9mg theobromine per pound of bodyweight for light symptoms, to 18mg theobromine per pound of body weight for more serious symptoms. Beyond these steps, a theobromine-poisoned dog will just be given medicines to manage their specific symptoms, such as Diazepam for seizures or hyperexcitability, beta blockers for high heart rate, Atropine for low heart rate or others. One study found that repeated theobromine exposure led to the development of cardiomyopathy (a chronic disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood) in dogs.

They are diuretics, heart stimulants, blood vessel dilators, and smooth muscle relaxants in people. Dogs are too sensitive to these chemicals … Large dogs have to technically eat a lot more chocolate than a very small dog does to experience chocolate poisoning. As it turns out, cats are actually more susceptible to theobromine poisoning than dogs, but we don’t ever hear about a cat getting sick from eating chocolate. This has important implications in their veterinary treatment and could explain why some dogs get sick after eating very little chocolate. In addition to this, we will be explaining the symptoms of chocolate poisoning in dogs. Chocolate poisoning can cause symptoms such as nausea and vomiting that can last for 12 to 24 hours. It is important to note that chocolate poisoning can last for up to 72 hours, so it may be a few days before your dog can come home if their condition is severe. Once you note that your dog has eaten some cocoa powder, then you should contact your veterinarian for an emergency appointment to start treatment immediately. If your vet isn’t available, call the local emergency veterinary clinic or the pet poison hotline. Since chocolate toxicity can be extremely serious, your veterinary team will likely be anticipating your arrival.

This way they can work on treating your pet as soon as you get there if it is necessary. This way it also reduces your dog’s nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Edgar in “The Aristocats” knew that kitties love milk, so what better way to kidnap them than to drug their supply? If you are certain your dog ate chocolate, stay calm. Cocoa powder is the worst culprit; after that is unsweetened baker’s chocolate, followed by semisweet chocolate, and then, dark chocolate and dogs chocolate. Cocoa powder and cocoa butter are two chocolate forms commonly used in cooking and baking. However, the amount of theobromine in cocoa butter can vary depending on the type of cocoa bean and how it’s processed. The APCC (the ASPCA Poison Control Center) says activated charcoal should only be used for high dose cases of chocolate toxicity, because it might cause hypernatremia (elevated sodium levels that can be risky).

Ask your vet whether you should use activated charcoal. You’ll need to use a syringe to squirt the mixture into his mouth between his back teeth so he’ll swallow it. In any event, you need to get it out of his system. They will likely tell you to make the dog vomit to get the chocolate out of his digestive system. Avoid giving them any food or water as this may cause them to vomit. If he doesn’t vomit in 15 minutes, try it again, but no more. Try to determine what kind of chocolate your dog ate and how much he consumed. So if you know your dog ate chocolate, here’s what to do and when you need to call your vet. This is because you may need to do first aid before making the trip, and it can also be helpful to the animal hospital to know that you are coming in with a medical emergency.