RGM's Pets House: Is Chocolate toxic to Dogs & Cats ?!

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Is Chocolate toxic to Dogs & Cats ?!

Most of pet owners love to cuddle their pets and give them sweet treats to make them happy , but what dogs and cats owners don't know that they are giving toxins to their pets not treats , chocolate for example in large amount can be poisonous to your pet .

Chocolate Toxicity in Dogs and Cats :
Chocolate is derived from the roasted seeds of Theobroma cacao, which contains certain properties that can be toxic to animals: caffeine and theobromine. If ingested, these two ingredients can also lead to various medical complications and may even prove fatal for your pet.

Symptoms and Types

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Increased body temperature

Increased reflex responses

Muscle rigidity

Rapid breathing

Increased heart rate

Low blood pressure

Seizures

Advanced signs (cardiac failure, weakness, and coma)

The amount and type of chocolate ingested is also important, as they are the determining factors for the severity of the toxicity.

* toxicity level acc to Dogs *

The three types of chocolate that you must be aware of are:

Milk Chocolate – Mild signs of toxicity can occur when 0.7 ounces per pound of body weight is ingested; severe toxicity occurs when two ounces per pound of body weight is ingested (or as little as one pound of milk chocolate for a 20-pound dog).

Semi-Sweet Chocolate – Mild signs of toxicity can occur when 0.3 ounce per pound of body weight is ingested; severe toxicity occurs when one ounce per pound of body weight is ingested (or as little as six ounces of semi-sweet chocolate for a 20-pound dog).

Baking Chocolate – This type of chocolate has the highest concentration of caffeine and theobromine. Therefore, as little as two small one-ounce squares of baking chocolate can be toxic to a 20-pound dog (or 0.1 ounce per pound of body weight).

Treatment:

While you wait for your cat to be evaluated, try to keep them cool, calm and in a quiet place to help keep the symptoms of chocolate poisoning from escalating too quickly. Your veterinarian may also recommend that you induce vomiting quickly after ingestion to prevent the chemicals in the chocolate from being digested and to control any seizures, should they occur. Fluids will be administered to keep your cat hydrated as its condition improves and, to avoid any further problems, you’ll want to feed your cat a bland diet for several days after it has been treated.

Prevention:

The best form of preventing chocolate toxicity is to always keep chocolate out of your cat’and dog "s reach and be wary of feeding them anything that might contain chocolate.