Chocolate is by far the best snack for any human and is eaten on all the big holidays: Easter, Halloween, Christmas and even just between meals! But for your four-legged friend it can be extremely toxic.
What makes chocolate so toxic, and what are the signs?
Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, which can both speed up your pups heart rate. Signs of chocolate poisoning usually appear within 6 to 12 hours and may last up to 72 hours, and these include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Tremors
- Seizures
- Increased urination
- Restlessness
- Abnormal heart rate
So… What do you do if your dogs eaten chocolate?
Bear in mind, you may need to take your dog for an urgent visit to the vet.
First, take into account the kind of chocolate and how much of it your dog ate. Then, consider your dog’s size. These will determine whether your dog ate a toxic dose of chocolate. Thankfully, you don’t need to do any complicated maths – because this online calculator will help you evaluate your dog’s risk level.
If you know your pup has eaten chocolate, you should ring your vet anyway just to be safe. Your vet may ask for you to bring your pup into the clinic, where they can assess your pups health for themselves and give any treatment necessary.
Tips on how to prevent your pup getting their paws on chocolate
Like with most things, the best thing you can do is to take precautions. Keep chocolate out of reach from your pups, and in cupboards away from cats. Make sure to tell guests to zip up their bags and put any half-eaten bars away from sniffing snouts.
Teach your dog the ‘leave it’ command so if they do get their paws on any chocolatey goodness, they will quickly drop it and, well, leave it!