Severe chocolate toxicity can be fatal, so any dog experiencing the effects of chocolate poisoning will need to be continually monitored by veterinary personnel. Hospitalization from chocolate toxicity can be as short as one day or as long as several days, and the cost of treatment for chocolate toxicity can range from a hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on the severity of the poisoning.
Keep all chocolate out of reach of dogs. The main time vets see an uptick in chocolate toxicity cases is around the holidays, when there are hidden chocolate treats around the house or under the holiday tree. Chocolate, even in small amounts, is never a good treat for a dog.
While dogs and chocolate don't mix, rest assured that there are many delicious and safe treat options that are sure to delight even the pickiest dog.
Sarah Wooten is a well-known international speaker and writer in the veterinary and animal health care spaces. Wooten is also a certified veterinary journalist, a member of the AVMA, and has 16 years experience in small animal veterinary practice. In addition, she is a co-creator of the wildly popular card game 'Vets Against Insanity'. Wooten lives in the mountains of Colorado. Select Your Region. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram Youtube. As used herein, denotes registered trademark status in the U.
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In some cases, repeat administrations of charcoal are necessary, but in others, just one dose will do it. 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. Why is that? Dogs are known for eating just about anything they can find including joint butts, a practice that places them at risk for cannabis poisoning , whereas cats tend to be picky eaters.
In part this is explained by the fact that cats lack the ability to taste glucose. Special thanks to Rachel Malkani MSc. Enter your keywords. Sign-Up Here. Ada McVean B. Because, as with all things, the dose makes the poison. What about mulch made from cocoa bean shells? What to read next Chemical Witchcraft in Salem 28 Oct What is Guarana? How do you know? Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram.
Low doses of methylxanthines can lead to vomiting or diarrhea in dogs, and euphoria in humans. Chocolate contains a significant amount of theobromine and smaller amounts of caffeine. If a large quantity of theobromine or caffeine is ingested, some dogs will experience muscle tremors or even seizures. These chemical constituents of chocolate can cause a dog's heart to race up to twice its normal rate, and some dogs may run around as if "they drank a gallon of espresso," according to Hackett.
Moose, it seems, was on a "theobromine high. Dogs are capable of handling some chocolate, but it depends on the animal's weight and the type of chocolate it eats. Unsweetened baking chocolate contains more than six times as much theobromine as milk chocolate, although amounts vary between cocoa beans as well as different brands of chocolate.
Around every confection-centered holiday—Valentine's Day, Easter and Christmas—at least three or four dogs are hospitalized overnight in the animal medical center at Colorado State. But in 16 years as an emergency and critical care veterinarian, Hackett has seen just one dog die from chocolate poisoning, and he suspects it may have had an underlying disease that made it more vulnerable to chocolate's heart-racing effect. Dogs that eat a small amount of chocolate should be able to filter the methylxanthines through their body and avoid veterinary treatment.
But more acutely poisoned dogs are generally treated by inducing vomiting and administering activated charcoal to absorb any methylxanthines remaining in the gut or that may be circulating through the dog's digestive system. Ultimately, Moose survived his cocoa snack.
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