One of the most common causes of poisoning in dogs is chocolate, as while relatively harmless to humans chocolate can be deadly to dogs. Veterinary surgeon Nicholas Burrell explains why chocolate is poisonous to dogs, the symptoms and what to do if your dog has been poisoned
Why is chocolate poisonous to dogs?
Chocolate should not be fed to dogs because it contains a substance called theobromine that dogs cannot break down. The darker the chocolate, the higher the theobromine content, and even small amounts can cause illness.
What are the symptoms of chocolate poisoning in dogs?
Symptoms of chocolate poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhoea and increased heart rate, and it can lead to seizures (fits) and heart failure. Darker chocolate carries a greater risk of poisoning and, the smaller the dog, the less they need to eat to be poisoned.
What to do if you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate
If you do suspect your pet has wolfed down some chocolate – or indeed anything dangerous - call your veterinary practice straight away and tell them what your dog has had, how much they’ve eaten and how long ago they ate it. They may recommend that you bring your dog in straight away, where treatment usually involves making the pet sick and administering activated charcoal to soak up the toxins. In more serious cases, the pet may need to be put on a fluid drip to support their organs.
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Nicholas Burrell BVetMed MRCVS is clinical director of Abbey Veterinary Group in Derbyshire. His main interests are dentistry and ultrasound and he carries out the majority of scans at the practice. Nick owns four rescue cats and a pony.
Abbey Veterinary Group is part of VetPartners, a UK and European veterinary group, which includes first opinion practices for large animals, equine and small animals as well as a growing network of referral practices that offer specialist care for small animal and equine patients.
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