Chocolate???

[Cola Champagnes mommy]

I have heard all about not giving chocolate to dogs, that even the smallest amount can give them heart worms or become fatal!! Well I am so concerned right now because the other night I gave Cola some of my Breyer's Neopolatin Yogurt and underneath what I thought was vanilla, she ate some chocolate! Should I be worried? The next day she was a little out of it, and she had her regular dose of heartworm medicine on this past Thursday night. I am so worried. What happens to dogs or animals when they eat chocolate, what is so bad about it??:confused:

 

[JulieM]

Chocolate cannot give a dog heartworms, only certain mosquitos can do that.

The first signs of chocolate poisoning are vomiting and diarrhea, increased urination and nausea. These can progress to cardiac arrhythmias and seizures and, ultimately, death.

Dosage is the key - the small amount Cola got into is nothing at all to worry about. Baker's chocolate is the most dangerous chocolate because it has the highest concentration of theobromine (the dangerous compound in chocolate).

Relative theobromine content per ounce for various products is:
Milk chocolate: 44 - 60 mgs/ounce
Unsweetened baking chocolate: 450 mg/oz
Cocoa meal: 300 - 900 mg/oz
Cocoa beans: 300 - 1200 mg/oz
Hot chocolate: 13 mg/oz

The lethal dosage of theobromine in dogs is between 250 and 500 mgs/kg body weight.

Theobromine comes from the plant Theobroma cocoa and is present in chocolate, cocoa beans, cocoa bean hulls, cola and tea. It is also present in cocoa mulch, so do not use this in your gardens if your dog can get to them.

Theobromine and caffeine are in the same class of compounds:

http://www.hersheys.com/consumer/nutrition/theobromine/


Here are some more sites about chocolate/theobromine toxicity in dogs:

http://www.apogeecomgrp.com/drkevin/chocolate.html
http://www.idir.net/~wolf2dog/chocolate.htm
http://www.frii.com/~phouka/dogs/dog_choc.html
http://www.vetheart.com/choc.html
http://vetmedicine.about.com/librar....htm?once=true&


(Probably more than you ever wanted to know about theobromine!)

I still recommend avoiding chocolate since some dogs are more sensitive to it, but a small amount will not harm most Boxers. (Mine have been known to sneak a chocolate-chip cookie or two )

 

[lmyhand]

Very informative! Thanks. I am always worried about this too. It's good to know that the only thing I have to worry about is if Baxter accidentally got into a large amount of chocolate. I can easily prevent that!!

 

[VTbxrFan]

My first boxer when I was a kid ate one of those giant hershey's kisses. It was wrapped and put under the christmas tree -- we didn't realize that it was food. This was many years ago -- before the dangers of chocolate were well publicized, but fortunately she was fine. Obviously you would not want to let that happen if you can help it, but don't panic if your dog gets into some chocolate. Keep an eye on your dog and check with your vet. Your dog might be ok. I guess we were lucky and ours was not especially sensitive. Since then, we've always inquired about gifts to be sure that they do not contain any food before they go under the tree!

 

[Cola Champagnes mommy]

Whew Thank You!!!

Julie,
Thanks for the information! Boy your knowledgeable! Whew well atleast I know I can spoil my baby once in a blue moon with some chocolate yogurt. :D

 

[cwithers]

Chocolate

Just reassure me!

I give my boxer puppy small chocolate buttons (dog treats called 'Good Boy' - we are trying to train her at the moment and she is 10 weeks old today.

Please reassure me that it is OK to do this and the chocolate you are talking about is the chocolate we eat?

:confused:

 

[JulieM]

Yes, we are talking about "people-chocolate"

I think the Good Boy 'chocolates' contain carob, which is considered safe for dogs. Three Dog Bakery has a blurb on carob, here:

http://www.threedog.com/pawticulars/ingred_carob.shtml

 

[vasha]

Re: Chocolate

Originally posted by cwithers
Just reassure me!

I give my boxer puppy small chocolate buttons (dog treats called 'Good Boy' - we are trying to train her at the moment and she is 10 weeks old today.

Please reassure me that it is OK to do this and the chocolate you are talking about is the chocolate we eat?

:confused:

Those are probably carob treats, not chocolate.

This link tells you more about what's in them: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=0&pCatId=878

edited to say:

Actually, i've found more info taken from http://www.transportcafe.co.uk/dogchocolate.html


GOOD BOY CHOC DROPS
(Branded choc drops for dogs sold in pet shops)

Now to good boy choc drops.

I wrote to Good Boy because of they do not state on their packets of choc drops what the full ingredients are.
I suggested that they made it quite plain because I have heard it suggested that good boy choc drops are possibly normal choc rejects.
The packet labels did nothing to dispel this rumour.
After two mails good boy wrote back and made the following declaration.........

Dear John,

Thank you for your concern regarding the Choc Drops.

We have forwarded this information up to our marketing manager for their Consideration. There are no ingredients in the Good Boy Choc Drops that are toxic to dogs. The ingredients are: Sugar, Soy Flour, Cocoa Powder, DiCalcium PHosphate, Glucose Syrup, Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Panthothentic Acid.

If you have any further questions or concerns please contact our Internet Customer Service Department at 1-800-381-7179, or via email, at your convenience.

Sincerely,
Nick
Internet Customer Service

I have investigated further as cocoa powder is listed above and cocoa does contain theo bromine which if enough is consumed is toxic.

I wrote a letter to a vet, the mail I sent and the reply is below.......

Dear Sir, I am sorry to intrude on your time, if however you have a moment and are inclined to help me,,, could you tell me if the chocolate sold in pet shops, like good boy choc drops, still has Theo bromine in it.

I received the following reply........

I'm afraid it does. Chocolate can still be toxic to dogs because of the Theo bromine included in it. Although most commercial chocolate has such low levels, large amounts of chocolate need to be ingested before clinical signs or illness are seen.
The safest way to avoid toxicity is to avoid giving Chocolate to your dog. I hope this helps.
Vets Name withheld.


a snuggles n kisses lovicon
kaiser hugs n slobbers
VaSHa

 

[cwithers]

Chocolate

Well thank you so much for getting back to me!

You can rest assure that Madison will be getting no more Good Boy treats - I am so glad posted my query!

Luckily enough I have only given Madison about 1/2 a small bag of these treats over the 3 weeks she has been with us - but I will be throwing the rest in the bin. I had no idea they were bad for her I just assumed they were a treat!

Anyway thank you so much I guess we will have to keep the treats down to Milk Bones (Pedigree), Gravey Bones (Pedigree) and Rewards - unless you have any more information on these treats - if you do please let me know - I mean I would now intentionaly give Madison something that was going to make her sick - she means too much to me!

Thanks again for your advice!

:D