|
To dogs, chocolate is delicious, but potentially lethal. The cocoa bean, from which chocolate is produced, contains a drug called theobromine. This is closely related to caffeine, which chocolate also contains. The toxicity of chocolate for dogs is due to its theobromine content. Chocolate poisoning is very serious. It contains a long lasting, very potent toxin that can cause death. This toxicity is largely unfamiliar to most people, who may not worry too much if their dog is a bit sick after eating a quantity of chocolate.
If you know your pet has ingested large quantities of chocolate, do not wait for symptoms to occur, induce vomiting and take him to the vet immediately!
Symptoms occur within a few hours, but have been known to be delayed for as long as 24 hours. It can take as long as 3 days for the dog to recover completely.
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Urinary Incontinence
Hyperactivity
Rapid Breathing and Heart Rate
Muscle Tremors
Seizures
Coma
Chocolate is also poisonous to cats, but due to their picky eating habits, this type of poisoning is not as serious a problem. If your cat ingests chocolate, treat the situation the same as if it were a dog.
__________________
 LIZZIE
|