Veterinarians disapprove of giving dogs any kind of “food for people”, but they are especially adamant about keeping chocolate away from our canine friends. But why is chocolate, with milk or dark, so toxic to dogs?
Chocolate contains the chemicals theobromine and caffeine, and these two stimulants, which dogs cannot metabolize as easily as humans, accumulate in the animal's body, where they can speed up a dog's body functions and cause dangerous side effects, according to VCA Animal Hospitals, a company that operates more than 1000 animal hospitals in the United States and Canada.
The severity of the negative impacts of chocolate on a dog is determined by the levels of theobromine and caffeine in the chocolate product, the amount that the dog ate, and the dog's weight and sensitivity to chemical stimulants. Dark and bitter chocolate is more toxic to dogs, containing a higher concentration of theobromine per ounce than milk chocolate (130 to 450 milligrams per ounce, compared to 45 to 58 mg per ounce for milk chocolate). White chocolate, on the other hand, contains only 0.25 mg of theobromine per ounce and therefore poses a much lower toxic threat to dogs, according to VCA Animal Hospitals.
What are the symptoms of chocolate toxicity in dogs?
Initial symptoms of chocolate toxicity usually appear within 6 to 12 hours, and may include excessive drooling and panting, increased thirst and urination, and upset stomach followed by vomiting and diarrhea, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). The dog may experience an increase in heart rate and become restless, nervous and excited, like a person sensitive to caffeine who has drunk too many cups of coffee.
In severe cases, irregular heart rate from chocolate consumption can reduce circulation, resulting in a drop in body temperature. Extreme symptoms include lethargy, muscle spasms, seizures, and coma, which sometimes lead to death, according to VCA Animal Hospitals. And because theobromine has a long half-life, which means that it takes longer for the body to break it down, the symptoms of chocolate poisoning can persist for days.
In some cases, dogs consume chocolate but have no symptoms; that's because the size of the dose of toxins can affect an animal's response to poisoning, according to McGill University's Office of Science and Society in Ontario, Canada.
How do veterinarians treat chocolate poisoning?
Veterinarians usually treat chocolate toxicity by inducing vomiting or administering doses of activated charcoal, which purges toxins from the dog's digestive system before they can be absorbed into the animal's bloodstream, according to the AKC. Depending on the severity of the poisoning, medications or liquids may be required to counteract the poisoning, says the AKC.
What could affect a dog's reaction to chocolate?
“A dog's reaction to chocolate may depend on the size of the animal,” veterinarian Greg Nelson, Director of Surgery and Director of Diagnostic Imaging at Central Veterinary Associates in Valley Stream, New York, told Live Science. Therefore, a piece of chocolate will have a more pronounced effect on a chihuahua, which usually weighs between 4 and 6 pounds (1.8 to 2.7 kilograms) than on a Saint Bernard, which can weigh up to 180 pounds (81.6 kg).
“One hundred milligrams of theobromine and caffeine for every kilogram of a dog's weight is enough to be lethal,” Nelson told WordssideKick.com. “Different chocolate products have varying levels of theobromine and caffeine, and the worst offender is bakery chocolate. In my experience, one ounce of bakery chocolate per kilogram of the dog's body weight can be lethal.”
Milk chocolate is less dangerous than baking chocolate because it contains fewer stimulants, but Nelson warns that if your dog has ingested any type or amount of chocolate, it is always better to be safe than sorry. “I advise customers to visit their vets instead of hesitating and possibly creating an emergency by not having them look at the dog right away,” Nelson stressed. “At a minimum, call your veterinarian or the national animal poison control center for advice.”
While chocolate poisoning can affect dogs at any time, puppies are more likely to find and consume chocolate on holidays such as Christmas and Easter, when there is plenty of chocolate available in the form of figurines (such as bunnies and Santa Claus), as well as in bars, eggs, liquors, cakes and decorations, the researchers wrote in a 2017 article in the magazine Vet Record . In fact, during Christmas time, dogs are four times more likely to require a visit to the vet for chocolate poisoning than during non-holidays; and at Easter, dogs are twice as likely to get sick from chocolate, compared to other times of the year, previously reported Live Science.
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