Now that Valentine’s Day is over you need to watch out for all of those wonderful leftover chocolate treats and candy that is still sitting around your house.
You love your chocolate and your dog may really want some of that wonderful chocolate too. He may beg and whine. Don’t give in even for a little tiny bit of your chocolate. It can be really dangerous or even deadly for any of your pets but especially for your dogs. Dogs are the most susceptible because they seem to have an affinity for sweets. They can sniff out and find the things they like and can get into all the containers and packages that the chocolate is in.
Cats are also susceptible but are not as likely to get in trouble because they are much more finicky eaters so they don’t usually get into the chocolate that is left lying around your house.
Chocolate contains methylxanthines, theobromine and caffeine. All of these compounds can cause harm to your pets but it is the theobromine that causes most of the problems.
Theobromine is a stimulant like caffeine and even small amounts can cause chocolate toxicity.
It should be considered an emergency if your pet eats any chocolate – especially if they begin to have any of the signs and symptoms of chocolate toxicity such as vomiting, diarrhea or hyperactivity.
You should call a pet poison control center or your pet’s veterinarian. Be calm and be sure to have all of the information they will need. You will need to tell them how much chocolate was consumed, when it was consumed and the size of your pet.
Help your pets have a healthy Valentine’s season.
No Chocolate