A very bad combination, dogs & chocolate! You probably knew but in case you did not, click here on info. to get some helpful facts.
How do I know? Two veterinary bills in 18 months for a total of $1400, yes that's one thousand four hundred!
Theobromine is the villain in this case found in products from the cocoa tree, & while milk choc. contains small amounts [44mgs./oz] it ramps up as you get to the darker, purer products. Semi sweet/dark choc. has three times as much as milk choc. & baker's choc. has about eight times as much. Theobromine affects the heart & other organs, Button's heart rate was around 2oo the first time & nearly that this second time. It really is a killer & immediate medical response is urgent.
It takes about 150mgms/kilo of weight [2.2lbs] to cause toxicity in your pet[cats & horses too] which equates to an ounce of dark/semi sweet choc. Our Aussie Terrier Button weighs close to 14lbs so her toxic level for the dark choc. is about 4-5 ozs. The first time she ingested three bars of Godiva dark choc. around 9 ozs, she was a very sick puppy that Christmas night. $660 later, EKG, blood work, IV fluids etc. she was through the danger & I said "all chocolate goes in the fridge", if she learns to open that we are in big trouble. Maybe you saw the ad that featured the dog fetching his master a beer from the fridge? In the advert. it was a big dog but inside our 14lb. dog's body is a 300lb.mastiff trying to get out!
You'd think after the first scare we would never see that again? Someone left an unopened 9.5ozs. bag of dark choc. on their desk shelf, no challenge really for a dog that can scale cliffs!
Last night we were late returning home & she was hungry so you can guess the rest. Seven ozs. of dark chocolate & lots of evidence around the house & yard that it did not agree with her.
Another ER veterinary hosp. event & this evening DH picked her up & $700 plus later she is through this second choc. poisoning a bit subdued but thankfully ok. [That chocolate ended up costing nearly $100/oz.]We have to watch her for a day or two because there is a slight chance of further complications but she is a tough little girl, all the "Aussies" are, they breed 'em that way! Any dog that can survive in the Australian outback has to be tough, & even though Button may be generations removed from that kind of life she shows us how strong & durable she is when we hike mountains & run her daily for several miles.
I found some additional info this time around about other toxic foods; six grapes can put your dog into a life threatening situation & of course it follows that raisins are bad [& no doubt wine!] avocados for heaven's sake, nutmeg, coffee, onions & garlic & for dogs, raw salmon plus a few other surprises. Then there are a host of plants...........
FYI it is worth checking out the facts about products toxic for your pets, no one needs to spend their hard earned money unnecessarily on emergency pet care that could be avoided with some extra knowledge & care. And certainly none of us want to risk pain, suffering & damage to our beloved pets.
