Suzi Steiner
Each year we anxiously await the arrival of Spring. Spring time also
means Easter baskets full of chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs and a
wide variety of other assorted chocolates. The fat and sugar in chocolate
can create an unpleasant but temporary upset stomach. The actual toxic
component of chocolate is theobromine. Bakers chocolate contains the
highest level of theobromine followed by dark chocolate and milk chocolate. Chocolate flavored
cakes and cookies will contain the lowest level of
theobromine.
If your dog has just ingested chocolate it is possible to induce
vomiting; otherwise hospitalization and support are needed until the
chocolate has worked its way out of the system. It takes nearly 4 days for
the effects of chocolate to work its way out of a dog's system. Theobromine
causes.
*Vomiting
*Diarrhea
*Hyperactivity
*Tremors
*Seizures
*Racing heart rhythm/abnormal rhythms
*Death in severe cases
This is "Suzi" Steiner, she is a 4 1/2 yr old female/spayed Cocker
Spaniel. On February 23rd "Suzi" ate 6 - 7 ounces of dark chocolate
with the foil wrappers. She was presented to Post Pet Hospital the
next morning. Suzi's symptoms were as follows: agitation, rapid
breathing, tremors and a racing heart rhythm. We placed Suzi on
intravenous fluids and gave Diazepam, a muscle relaxant and anti-
convulsant. We also administered activated charcoal by mouth to
bind to the chocolate and prevent absorption. By the next morning
the original symptoms had subsided. Suzi vomited chocolate and foil
wrappers several times over the next day or two but by day three she
was eating with appetite and back to her normal self!
|
Number of OUNCES of CHOCOLATE a Pet Would Need to Ingest for TOXICITY
|
|
Weight of Pet
in Pounds
|
5
|
10
|
15
|
20
|
25
|
30
|
40
|
50
|
60
|
70
|
80
|
90
|
100
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Milk Chocolate
(ounces)
|
2
|
4
|
6
|
8.2
|
10.2
|
12.3
|
16.4
|
20.5
|
24.5
|
28.6
|
32.7
|
36.8
|
41
|
|
Dark Chocolate
(ounces)
|
0.7
|
1.4
|
2.1
|
2.8
|
3.5
|
4.2
|
5.5
|
6.9
|
8.3
|
9.7
|
11
|
12.5
|
13.8
|
|
Baking Chocolate
(ounces)
|
0.23
|
0.5
|
0.7
|
0.9
|
1.2
|
1.4
|
1.9
|
2.3
|
2.8
|
3.2
|
3.7
|
4.1
|
4.6
|
|
