Chocolate toxicity

It’s Easter! For most people that means chocolate!

Unfortunately, our canine companions also like the taste of chocolate which can make them very sick and even be deadly for them.

Signs of chocolate toxicity can include the following symptoms:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Hyper-excitability
• Tremors
• Rigid muscles
• Rapid breathing
• Increased heart rate
• Seizures
• Weakness
• Coma

If you know your pet has eaten chocolate in the last few hours and has not yet started to show any signs of toxicity, then it’s worth taking them to the clinic so we can induce them to vomit and hopefully clear their system of the chocolate before it causes problems.

Listed below are the approximate amounts of chocolate which can causes signs of toxicity in dogs.

Small dogs (up to 5kg)

• Milk chocolate: 60–100grams
• Dark chocolate: 24–40 grams
• Baking chocolate: 8–13 grams

Medium dogs (5kg–20kg)

• Milk chocolate: 200–300 grams
• Dark chocolate: 80–120 grams
• Baking chocolate: 25–40 grams

Large dogs (20kg plus)

• Milk chocolate: 600 grams
• Dark chocolate: 240 grams
• Baking chocolate: 80 grams

Please remember that all animals react differently; for a dog with health issues, it may take much less and for a dog weighing 50kg it may take much more.

Cats are even more sensitive to chocolate than dogs, but are much less likely to eat it, so we see chocolate toxicity in cats much less often. If you think your cat has eaten chocolate, or they show the above signs, please contact the clinic.

Have a safe and happy Easter Holiday everyone!