Why Can’t You Feed Your Dog Chocolates?
A series of articles of foods that are dangerous to dogs
A lot of pet owners regard their dogs as part of their family, and many are guilty of sharing the same table and food with their pups during meal times. Dogs do have a tendency to be curious about human food and eat most foods they can get to, but unfortunately some of these may be toxic or even fatal for our pups.
Dogs’ bodies will react to certain foods with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and depending on the dosage of the offensive food taken, could damage their liver permanently. They do not metabolize, digest or break down food the same way that our bodies does, so we as pet owners must ensure that we only give them foods that are safe for them.
Today we discuss the dangers of feeding chocolate to dogs (and cats).
While chocolate has health benefits to us humans and many of us enjoy eating and drinking it, it is not suitable to be fed to your dog.
Chocolate has cocoa and caffeine in it, which contains methylxanthines/theobromine, compounds that are also present in coffee and some carbonated drinks. Dark chocolates are more toxic than milk or white chocolates, as they have more of these compounds which dogs cannot break down effectively. Even in small amounts, chocolate could cause theobromine poisoning in dogs, so keep your pup away from chocolates entirely.
What Reactions Chocolate Might Cause Dogs:
Discomfort, abdominal pains, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle tremors, agitation, hyperactivity, seizures, dehydration, excessive thirst, high blood pressure, cardiac arrest, increased body temperature, respiratory failure.
What Should You Do If Your Dog Ingests Chocolate?
Symptoms may arise anytime from four (4) to twenty four (24) hours after having eaten chocolate. It is advisable to get your dog to the vet as soon as possible if it is exhibiting any of the symptoms above. The faster the chocolate is out of the system of the dog, the better.
Resources and Further Reading:
http://www.salon.com/2014/11/12/8_things_you_should_never_feed_to_dogs_and_cats_partner/
http://www.dognutrition.com/dogs-eat-chocolate.html
http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/dogs-and-chocolate-get-the-facts
http://www.foodbeast.com/2014/05/15/12-human-foods-that-could-kill-your-dog/
http://www.petwave.com/Dogs/Health/Hypoglycemia/Symptoms.aspx