Who doesn’t crave a nice piece of 🍫 now & then? Unfortunately for our 🐕 the ingestion of 🍫 can have serious consequences. 🍫 contains two ingredients that are ☠️ toxic ☠️ in large quantities: a chemical called theobromide & caffeine. Not all types of 🍫 contain the same amounts of theobromide & caffeine; therefore, the amount & the type of 🍫 your pet eats play a role in its toxic effects.

For example, white chocolate & milk chocolate contain fewer toxic ingredients than do baking chocolate & cocoa beans. Remember that other household items can contain cocoa beans too. One popular item is cocoa mulch. Keeping your four-legged friends away from this mulch is important, especially when it is fresh & has a strong cocoa smell!

Signs your pet may have an adverse reaction to chocolate include:

  • Diarrhea/vomiting from the high-fat content in the 🍫
  • Restlessness
  • Hyperactivity
  • Muscle twitching, tremors
  • Increased drinking and urination
  • Excessive panting
  • Irritability
  • Increased ❤️ rate and abnormal ❤️ rhythm
  • In extreme situations, seizures, collapse, & even 💀 💀 can occur.

Unfortunately, there is no specific antidote for pets that have ingested chocolate. If you suspect your dog or cat has eaten chocolate, you should contact your veterinarian immediately. Your veterinarian may recommend that you come in to induce vomiting in your pet, depending on when the chocolate was ingested.

Depending on the amount & type of the chocolate ingested, your veterinarian may suggest your pet be admitted to the hospital so that the staff can monitor for side effects & provide medical support, if necessary. The good news is that most pets treated for chocolate toxicity recover & return to normal within 24–48 hours of treatment.

The best way to prevent chocolate toxicity is to keep all chocolate out of reach of your pet !