Most dog owners have heard, to one degree or another, about the dangers of chocolate for their pets. Some have encountered this problem in practice, and others have heard or read something. Still others are at a loss: is it possible to give a dog a chocolate if she asks for it? Let’s consider why it is better not to share this treat with your four-legged friend.
Why is chocolate bad for dogs?
In addition to its high-calorie content, the harm of chocolate to animals lies in its chemical composition. Cocoa beans, which serve as the basis of the product, contain psychoactive alkaloids – theobromine and caffeine. They are the ones who pose a danger to animals.
Theobromine, or xantheose, gives the product a bitter taste. The substance has a pronounced stimulating effect on the body and in pharmacology. Theobromine has several effects:
- Strengthens the work of the heart muscle;
- Increases heart rate;
- Relaxes the muscles of the bronchi;
- Lowers blood pressure;
- Stimulates urination.
Caffeine also hurts the dog’s nervous and cardiovascular systems but is more pronounced. The heart rate can reach dangerous levels for your pet, especially in miniature dogs.
Both alkaloids are in the human body. For example, after a couple of hours, the content of theobromine in the bloodstream is reduced by half. In dogs, this occurs only after 18 hours. Cardiac, nervous, and respiratory stimulation lasts almost a day!
Dangerous dose of chocolate
Of course, how much a piece of chocolate or candy will harm your dog’s health depends on several factors: the pet’s health, age, type of chocolate, amount eaten, and so on. Thus, the extremely dangerous dosage of caffeine for a four-legged friend is 1 mg / 1 kg of the dog’s body weight, and theobromine is approximately 100 mg per 1 kg.
The content of alkaloids in the product depends on the amount of cocoa bean powder included in its composition. Depending on the type of chocolate, 100 grams contains:
- Dark – up to 1500 mg of theobromine and about 80 mg of caffeine;
- Milk – about 150 mg of theobromine and 15 mg of caffeine;
- White – about 0.9 theobromine and 0.0 mg caffeine.
Thus, the most dangerous for dogs is dark chocolate, the consumption of which can lead to severe poisoning.
Even though white chocolate contains almost no theobromine and no caffeine, you should not abuse it because its high carbohydrate content, various additives, and high-calorie content is especially actual for pets with diseases of the metabolism, endocrine system, and those prone to allergic reactions.
Signs of poisoning
If a dog by chocolate, it may experience the following symptoms:
- Rapid heartbeat;
- Frequent, heavy breathing, shortness of breath;
- Increased activity;
- Vomit;
- Diarrhea;
- Frequent urge to urinate;
- Muscle twitching.
How quickly symptoms appear depends on the severity of intoxication and the individual characteristics of the pet. In some dogs, the first signs of poisoning may occur 1-2 hours after eating sweets; in others – a day later. If an animal ate chocolate without the owner noticing, it would be challenging for a specialist to determine what caused the health deterioration.
What to do if your pet by chocolate
The range of measures depends on the severity of the symptoms. In any case, it is best to immediately show the dog to a veterinarian (take it to the clinic or call a doctor at home). If this is not possible, first of all, you should get rid of the toxin and intoxication of the body. You can give your pet a sorbent (for example, activated carbon) and drink plenty of fluids to do this. If your dog can, walk him often to allow the theobromine in the urine. A specialist can only carry out measures to stop vomiting, prevent dehydration, and restore heart rhythm.
Can a dog die from chocolate?
Death occurs in sporadic cases. You will often have to tinker with your pet for several days. Depending on the severity of intoxication and the characteristics of the dog’s body, long-term consequences of poisoning, for example, of a neurological nature, are possible.
