A Pet's View / June 2007
Death by Chocolate
The love of chocolate isn’t just a woman’s prerogative. Pets, especially dogs, can succumb to the consuming passion. Unfortunately, the pleasure is not only short lived, it can be fatal. Based on the number of calls received by The National Animal Poison Control Center and the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, one of the most commonly encountered poisonings in pet dogs is chocolate.
Theobromine, caffeine and theophylline are all naturally occurring molecules found in a variety of foods, plants, beverages and medications. Theobromine comes from a cocoa plant and is present in chocolate, cocoa beans, cocoa bean hulls, cola and tea.
Theobromine is chemically similar to caffeine. While safe for humans, dogs lack the specific enzyme to metabolize theobromine. Overdoses can cause seizures and convulsions.
Although chocolate is especially dangerous for dogs, it can be a problem for other animals. Deaths due to theobromine have been documented in horses who ate cocoa bean hulls used in bedding and in other livestock fed cocoa waste products. Cats, fortunately, don’t seem to like chocolate.
The lethal dosage of theobromine in dogs is between 250 and 500 mgs/kg. A 4.5 oz. milk chocolate bar has about 240 mgs. of theobromine. Unsweetened baking chocolate has lots more - about 390 to 450 mgs. of theobromine per ounce.
However, serious non-fatal poisonings have been reported in dogs after eating even small amounts.
The first signs of chocolate poisoning are vomiting and diarrhea, increased urination and nausea. These can progress to cardiac arrhythmias and seizures.
Just four to ten ounces of milk chocolate or 1/2 to 1 ounce of baking chocolate can be toxic for small dogs, like Chihuahuas and toy poodles. For medium sized dogs, like cocker spaniels and dachshunds, 1 -1 1/2 pounds of milk chocolate or 2 - 3 ounces of baking chocolate will pose a problem. Large dogs, like collies and Labrador retrievers will suffer after eating 2 - 4 1/2 pounds of milk chocolate or 4 - 8 ounces of baking chocolate.
White chocolate isn’t really a threat, because it isn’t really chocolate. It takes 250 pounds of white chocolate to cause signs of poisoning in a 20-pound dog, 125 pounds for a 10-pound dog.
Pet owners should note that one ounce per pound of body weight is the worry ratio. Approximately one pound of milk chocolate is poisonous to a 20-pound dog; one-half pound for a 10-pound dog. The average chocolate bar contains 2 to 3 ounces of milk chocolate. However, size, age, overall health, additional foods consumed and other factors might affect the outcome. Semi-sweet chocolate has a similar toxic level but pet owners should keep baking chocolate in a sealed container, high on the shelf in a latched cupboard.
Dogs definitely have a sweet tooth. And, once they’ve tasted chocolate, they want more. It doesn’t go to their hips, it goes to their central nervous system and heart muscle.
If a dog eats potentially dangerous amounts of chocolate and is seen within two hours, vomiting can be induced to remove the poison. If longer than two hours has passed, the animal may need to be treated. Within the first few hours, evidence of the consumption will include vomiting, diarrhea or hyperactivity. As time passes, with increased absorption of the toxic substance, there will be an increase in the dog’s heart rate, which can cause arrhythmia, restlessness, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, increased urination or excessive panting, often followed by hyperthermia, muscle tremors, seizures, coma and, sometimes, death.
Individual canines vary in their sensitivity to theobromine and dogs are capable of handling some chocolate, but it depends on the animal’s weight and the type of chocolate. Unsweetened baking chocolate contains more than six times as much theobromine as milk chocolate, although amounts vary between cocoa beans as well as different brands of chocolate. Less than four ounces of milk chocolate is potentially lethal for a typical chihuahua.
Death by chocolate is no dogs’ just dessert. PL
In case of suspected chocolate poisoning, contact a veterinarian, regional poison control center, or the National Animal Poison Information Center at The University of Illinois in Urbana, http://www.napcc.aspca.org or 888- 252-7387 or the 24 hour ASPCA Animal Poison Control, 888-426-4435.
Copyright © 2007 A Woman's View. All rights reserved.
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