How much chocolate is deadly? – February 2, 2011

This the month with Valentines Day coming up.  I would like to talk to you about how dangerous CHOCOLATE  is to our pets.  While the pathetic begging look that goes across the face of a dog wanting chocolate can weaken the most stoic  owner, stay firm.  Do not give in.  EVER!!  Chocolate is also poisonous to cats, but very seldom do cats ingest  chocolate.

Chocolate contains theobromine.  A naturally occurring stimulant found in the cocoa bean.  Theobromine increases urination and affects the central nervous system a well as the heart muscle.

The signs of poisoning include;

*Excitability
*Irritability
*Increase in heart rate
*Increased urination
*Restlessness
*Vomiting
*Diarrhea
*Muscle tremors

How much chocolate is deadly?  The answer to the question is not simple.  The health and age of the dog must be considered.  Not all chocolate is the same.  Some have small amounts of theobromine: another has a large amount and still another has an amount somewhere in between.

Knowing which chocolate is the most toxic is important .  The list should be helpful.  You might want to clip it and put it on your refrigerator.

*White chocolate:  200ounces per bl of body weight.  It takes 250 lbs of white chocolate to cause sign of poisoning in a 20 lb dog.

*Milk chocolate:  1 ounce per lb of body weight.Approximately one pound of milk chocolate is poisonous to a 20 lb dog: ｽ lb  to a 10 lb dog.  The average chocolate bar contains 2 to 3 ounces of milk chocolate.  It would take 2 to 3 candy bars to poison a 10 lb dog.  Semi-sweet chocolate has similar toxic level.

*Sweet cocoa:  0.3 ounces per lb of body weight.  One-third of a lb of sweet cocoa is toxic to a 20 lb dog, 1/6 lb for a 10 lb dog.

*Baking chocolate:  0.1 ounce per lb of body weight.  Two one-ounce squares of bakers chocolate is toxic  to a 20 lb dog, one ounce for a 10 lb dog.

If you suspect that your pet has eaten chocolate call your vet immediately with as much information as possible, including the type of chocolate consumed, the suspected amount and how much time has passed since ingested.

Please refer to:http://www.dogownersdigest.com and/or http://www.sugarland.com  for additional information.