• Easter Chocolate and your pets!

    April 11, 2019 | blog

  • Keep your dog safe this Easter

    Chocolate toxicty

    Chocolate contains cocoa and cocoa contains the compound theobromine. Chocolate poisoning is a problem that occurs mainly in dogs but also occurs occasionally in cats or other animals.

    The concentration of theobromine varies depending on the type of chocolate. For example, cocoa powder, baking chocolate and dark chocolate contain higher levels of theobromine compared to milk or white chocolate.

    The toxicity effect the chocolate has is dose-related, therefore the overall effect of the chocolate on the dog depends on their size, the amount of chocolate that has been eaten and the type of chocolate eaten.

    Symptoms usually occur within 6-12 hours of eating a toxic dose of chocolate.

    They include increased thirst, vomiting, diarrhoea, bloating, restlessness, anxiety, agitation, heart palpitations, tremors, seizures and collapse. Chocolate that is high in fat may also trigger pancreatitis.
    dog egg

    You can put steps in place to ensure your dogs stay safe this EASTER:

    • Inform all family members, including small children, why it is important not to feed your pets even just a small piece of chocolate.
    • Keep Easter Eggs and other chocolates on high shelves or in closed cupboards.
    • Never leave chocolate unattended or within your pets reach.
    • Make a note of how may Easter eggs you hide during Easter egg hunts and ensure they are all collected if they are in an area your dog or cat has access to.

    If your dog has eaten chocolate it is best to call Vitality Vetcare right away, so we can give the best advice.

    Try the handy chocolate toxicity calculator to see get an idea of just how little chocolate is needed to cause a problem in dogs.