Why is Chocolate So Dangerous For Dogs?
It’s Valentine’s Day! We all know what that means, most of us will indulge in sweet treats to celebrate. While this is a fun excuse to treat ourselves, it is important to keep chocolates and other sweets, intended for human consumption, out of the reach of our beloved pets. As your go-to Denver dog trainers, we are committed to helping you not only train but protect your fur babies from unnecessary dangers. This is precisely why we’re focusing today’s post on why chocolate is so dangerous for dogs.
Why Chocolate is Dangerous for Dogs
The reason chocolate effects dogs so differently, than it does their human counterparts, is the presence of theobromine. While humans digest it easily, dogs process is very slowly sometimes allowing it to reach toxic levels. Your dog’s reaction to theobromine poisoning is dependent on the amount of chocolate they ingest. If they eat a small amount it is likely to cause a tender stomach along with vomiting and/or diarrhea. However large portions of chocolate can cause a great deal of discomfort, seizures, muscle tremors, internal bleeding and even heart attack.
Not only does the amount of chocolate ingested impact the severity of your dog’s reaction, the size of your pup also plays a major role. Larger dogs can naturally consume more chocolate before reaching a toxic level. Lastly, the type of chocolate your dog consumes can also impact the severity of their reaction. Dark chocolate as well as cocoas and cooking chocolates have the highest theobromine levels while milk chocolates have the lowest. Be sure to pay attention to the type of chocolate they have ingested.
Curious about other foods you shouldn’t feed your dog? Learn more here.
Contact Your Vet Right Away
Regardless of your dog’s initial reaction, their size, the amount consumed or the type of chocolate, it is best to contact your vet right away. Follow their instructions and monitor your pup’s behavior closely. Be prepared to give your vet an idea of how much your pup ate as well as the type of chocolate consumed. Remaining calm and comforting your dog should be your main priority.
Enjoy Your Valentine’s Treats But Store Them Safely
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we want to wish you and your loved ones a very happy day. However, as leading providers of Denver dog training, we also consider your pup’s safety to be of the utmost importance. Spoil your pup with an extra dog treat today but keep the chocolate to yourself!
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