- PET HEALTH HIGHLIGHTS - Three Things You Must Do If Your Dog Eats Chocolate
- PET HEALTH HIGHLIGHTS - Three Things You Must Do If Your Dog Eats Chocolate
It is that time of year again and from now until after New Year ’ s , there will be goodies galore . Many dogs have a sweet tooth and the fat content in chocolate is enticing !
Chocolate contains two compounds that are dangerous for dogs , theobromine and caffeine . The caffeine can cause tremors , increased heart rate , abnormal heart rhythms , and other potentially lethal cardiovascular side effects , but theobromine is the more toxic of the two . There is a toxic level of theobromine that is lethal outright , even lower doses require medical treatment , since each individual can react differently . If you notice that your dog has eaten chocolate , there are some important steps that you need to take , even before you see a vet .
1 ) Figure out which type of chocolate was eaten . Because the different kinds of chocolate contains different amounts of the toxic components , your vet will be best equipped to advise you if you know which type . Milk chocolate and white chocolate are the least dangerous , then dark chocolate , and then baker ’ s chocolate , which contains the highest theobromine levels .
2 ) Grab whatever remains of the packaging . Bring the bag , the wrapper or anything that might be labeled with the ounces ( or pounds ) of chocolate in the package . Your vet will need to see what kind of wrapper or package was also eaten to check for it on the radiographs ( x-rays ) to make sure that the wrapper itself poses no risk of foreign body obstruction . They can then check the ingredient list for other possible dangerous items , like xylitol , a sugar substitute ( which is also extremely toxic ).
3 ) Try to estimate how much was ingested . Try to remember if there was a full amount , or if some had already been removed . Your vet can call Animal Poison Control if needed to find out the exact amount of theobromine in your particular chocolate . If it was a full bag of assorted chocolates , your vet will be able to estimate the ingested amount based on what remains , to best help your dog .
4 ) The best way to treat chocolate toxicosis is to prevent it completely . Never assume your dog cannot reach something . Dogs climb the backs of chairs to leap to countertops and then pull things off high shelves . They watch us all the time , soundlessly observing . They know when we are eating and they smell that it is something tempting . They watch where we store it and return to the spot when they are bored or hungry . Never underestimate a motivated canine . Scan the room for potential risks before you leave it to join in the festivities and warn guests that your dog has a sweet tooth .
Before you head to the vet with your chocolate-eating dog , heed these three tips to have the best chance for an uneventful recovery .
Source : theanimalrescuesite . com
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Pawsitively Pets -- December
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