Great Dane Care
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Chocolate Poisoning in Dogs
The number of dogs being poisoned after eating chocolate has seen a dramatic rise. Last year, the Veterinary Poisons Information Service received 1,479 emergency calls about theobromine poisoning in dogs against 1,166 calls in 2007 - a surge of almost 27%.
Karen Sturgeon, specialist in poisons information, said that of the calls last year, two dogs died and three were euthanised. "The actual incidence may be higher as not all veterinary practices are registered with us, not all call about every case they have and not all the case follow up questionnaires we send out (usually to potentially serious cases) are returned" she said.
Human chocolate contains theobromine, a naturally occurring compound found in the cocoa bean and it is this compound that is poisonous to dogs.
Symptoms of theobromine poisoning include diarrhoea, restlessness, nausea & vomiting. The central nervous system, heart & kidneys can also be affected.
How a dog reacts to the compound depends on it's size, health problems, the amount of chocolate ingested and the type - darker chocolate has higher levels of cocoa solids.
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