ThePet.net‘s co-founder and vet Marc Abraham offers this advice:
We all know that on this festive weekend chocolate Easter eggs are a naughty lure to us humans but for any nosey pooch it could prove to be a fatal temptation.
Dogs ingesting even the smallest quantities of chocolate can suffer severe life-threatening seizures and in the worst-case scenarios even death; especially in smaller dogs like Chihuahuas – which ironically are more likely to be treated by their owners!
Chocolate contains both theobromine and caffeine, chemicals having dangerous effects on our pets’ internal organs; while humans have the metabolism to cope with these chemicals, dogs do not.
Symptoms of chocolate poisoning in your dog can include hyperactivity, agitation, breathlessness, vomiting, diarrhoea and increased urination.
So please don’t forget the hazardous aspects of Easter. There are much higher levels of dangerous Theobromine in darker chocolate but all types of chocolate should be avoided at all times.
As well as symptoms of poisoning, chocolate can also lead to other life-threatening conditions like pancreatitis, diabetes and obesity.
Furthermore if you know your dog has eaten chocolate by mistake don’t wait for the symptoms to develop. Contact your vet immediately where your dog can receive all the necessary treatment it may need.
Filed under: Advice | Tagged: Animal welfare, Chocolate, dogs, Easter, Health | 1 Comment »
