08 Nov

We often see many cases of chocolate poisoning after Halloween. But with the holiday season fast approaching and chocolates being given as gifts, we advise dog owners to do their best to keep chocolate out of reach of your dogs.

Chocolate is toxic for dogs and clinical signs of chocolate poisoning may take hours to develop and last for several days. It contains two substances they cannot metabolize or break down as quickly as we humans can.

Caffeine and theobromine occur in high amounts in darker chocolates where more cocoa solids are used.

Baking chocolate and dark chocolate are much more likely to be toxic to dogs than white chocolate.

The effect of chocolate toxicity can vary depending on the size of your dog, how much, and what type of chocolate they ate. Even a tiny amount can be harmful and may cause them to experience diarrhea, vomiting, excessive drooling, agitation, and a racing heart rate.

If left untreated, or in worsening cases, chocolate toxicity may cause muscle tremors, seizures, collapse, cardiac failure, or even death.

If your dog has ingested chocolate, call your vet or the Poison Control Hotline immediately.

Knowing how much chocolate your dog ingested, your dog’s weight, and the type of chocolate will be helpful when speaking to your vet or the Poison Control Hotline.

The Poison Control Hotline is available 24 hours a day at: 1-888-426-4435

And if your family vet is unavailable, please remember that we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help your dog if they have ingested chocolate or have any other emergency or urgent care need.