Chocolate Toxicity

Chocolate and Valentine’s Day seem to go hand in hand, and although we may love chocolate, it is not good for our pets. The toxic components from chocolate are caffeine and theobromine, which are methylated xanthine alkaloids from the plant. These methylxanthines are quickly absorbed and enter circulation and start producing clinical signs and problems. Initial signs that may occur include vomiting, bloating, increased thirst, and restlessness. As toxicity progresses your pet will have an increased heart rate and possible abnormal arrhythmia, increased body temperature, increased blood pressure, increased breathing rate, and possible seizures. Extremely high doses can even cause low blood pressure, low heartrate, and coma.
Now, all of this sounds scary, but there are ways to help treat your pet if he/she were to ingest chocolate. First step is to call your veterinarian, or the emergency veterinarian, immediately and follow their directions. They will help you through the situation and figure out how to best treat your pet. Inducing vomiting, and removing any chocolate left in the stomach, may be needed, and is very common step in treating chocolate ingestion. From there your veterinarian will help guide you through what else is needed to help best care for your pet. Knowing the type of chocolate your pet consumed, along with how much, is important information when calling your veterinarian. There are many chocolate types out there, and each has a varying amount of methylxanthines. Dry cocoa powder and dark chocolate typically have more of these methylxanthines than milk chocolate, but it doesn’t mean any of these are safe for our four-legged friends.
Chocolate is a common ingredient found in most households, so please keep it tucked away where your furry friend cannot find and access it. In this case, sharing is not always caring. For more questions about chocolate toxicity, or chocolate ingestion, please call Stevenson Ranch Veterinary Center at 661-799-0655.