IS CHOCOLATE REALLY BAD

You know, it’s interesting how dogs and humans can react so differently to something as seemingly innocent as chocolate. While we might just get a bit of a tummy ache from overindulging, for our furry friends, it can be way more serious. Chocolate is a big no-no for them, and that’s because of a couple of
compounds chocolate contains: theobromine and caffeine. These two chemicals are like kryptonite for dogs. While our bodies can handle them, dogs struggle to
metabolize them properly. It’s kind of like a slow burn for them. While we can clear out about half of those compounds in about 7 hours, it takes our pups around 17 hours to do the same. So, you can see why even a little nibble of chocolate can spell trouble for them. Because it takes so many hours for dogs to break down theobromine and caffeine, these compounds will remain in their bloodstream for a long time, and they could potentially accumulate to a level that is toxic to the dog’s body.

So, what’s the deal if a dog gets into the chocolate stash? Well, it’s like they’ve downed twenty Slayer energy drinks in one go. The theobromine and caffeine in chocolate kick their nervous system into overdrive, blocking those sleepy receptors and sending them into hyperdrive.
You’ll notice them bouncing off the walls, heart racing, muscles twitching, and just generally unable to sit still. It’s like giving someone who’s never had coffee three shots of espresso at once! They’ll also be super thirsty and pee a lot more than usual. But here’s where it gets serious.
Because their bodies take so long to process these compounds, they can get progressively more intoxicated. That means they might start vomiting, having diarrhoea, or even seizing up. In rare cases, it can even be fatal. So, it’s not worth risking even a nibble of chocolate for our furry pals.

Ever wonder why some dogs can munch on chocolate treats without a hitch? Well, it’s all about the type, amount, and size.
theobromine it packs, making it way riskier for our furry friends. Think dark chocolate bars, baking chocolate, or unsweetened cocoa products—they’re like the triple shots of danger. On the other hand, milk chocolate dilutes that cocoa punch with milk and sugar, so it’s not as potent. And white chocolate? Well, it’s
basically harmless for dogs since it doesn’t even have theobromine or caffeine. It is however loaded with sugar and probably not he best thing for our Dogs to be eating. it’s like a balancing act between the cocoa content and the dog’s size. The smaller the dog and the darker the chocolate, the riskier it gets.

OH

THE AMOUNT OF CHOCOLATE

There is indeed a relationship between the amount of chocolate eaten and the risks for the dog, but only if we talk about the same kind of chocolate. Sure, 80gr of dark chocolate are more dangerous than 30g of dark chocolate. But as we saw, high-cocoa chocolate is more toxic to dogs compared to low-cocoa chocolate. So 80g of milk chocolate will be far less dangerous than 50g of dark chocolate. The reason this has all come into discussion is because my Labrador Oscar, snuck into the Pantry and got into not one but eight slabs of our 32% milk chocolate slabs. Oh my gosh was he Ill, I thought he was going to fall through
his own bum hole and we were cleaning up after him for 24 hours. If he had eaten our 80% extra bitter slabs the outcome could have been very different.
So you should consider the type of chocolate first, and the amount of chocolate secondly.
Also the size of the dog is a crucial factor in determining the toxic quantity.

What to do if your dog did get into your chocolate stash If the dog doesn’t show any of the symptoms mentioned before, that’s great. But if your dog starts to display symptoms, it’s time to act fast.
The best thing you can do is not to waste any time and call the vet straight away. The vet can act fast if she/he knows the type of chocolate your dog has eaten, so don’t forget to take the left over packaging with you, providing your dog hasn’t eaten that as well. It’s also useful to remember how much of that chocolate
the dog has gobbled up for the vet to understand the potential level of intoxication. What is the treatment for chocolate poisoning?
The sooner the treatment begins, the higher the chances of your dog getting over the chocolate poisoning without permanent damages. The vet will act accordingly. Here are the actions she/he may perform on your dog:
 Induce vomiting,
 Administer doses of activated charcoal,
 Administer dedicated medication,
 Intravenous fluid therapy,

Ways to prevent a dog from eating chocolate.
Even though my Oscar was so very sick from eating so much chocolate, he is still addicted to the smell of it, if he is around any slabs of chocolate, he has short term memory loss and sniffs it out to try and steal another piece so now we have to: Keep the chocolate out of reach.by placing it in high places like pantries and cupboards above the sink and the oven that even big dogs can’t possibly get up to. keep the chocolate out of smell range. If you place the chocolate in tight and sealed containers, the chances of your dog smelling, wanting, and trying to reach the chocolate will diminish drastically. I try to eat chocolate where and when Oscar can’t see. If you find it hard to resist those puppy eyes (let’s admit it, who doesn’t?), then choose a time of the day where your dog is somewhere else or with someone else to Savour your chocolate in peace.

I know sharing your chocolate is always high on my suggestion list, but in this case- Not with you Dogs.