Why Chocolate is Dangerous for Pets | Definition, Symptoms & Treatment

By John Morgan | Dated February 26, 2016

When that chocolate cake sitting on the kitchen bench smells just so good,  or the Easter eggs wrapped in  foil have been ‘hidden’ around the house and yard, pets can’t help themselves. And once they start, it’s so difficult to stop!

As we all eagerly await the visit from the Easter Bunny, there are some of us who need to exercise restraint. No, we’re not talking about healthy humans.  We’re talking about the four-legged  (and winged) members of our family.

Unfortunately, pets are just like us, and don’t always find it inside themselves to show self control when there is something delicious nearby.

Theobromine and Caffeine From Cacao Seeds Are Extremely Toxic To Pets

The bitter seeds of the Cacao plant, which are used to make chocolate, are packed with theobromine and caffeine, both of which are highly toxic to our pets.

Different types of chocolate contain varying concentrations of these toxic compounds, and  baking chocolate,  followed by semisweet and dark chocolate contain  the most.

Milk chocolate and chocolate cakes and biscuits tend to contain less of the toxic compounds.

Unfortunately for our pugs, cavoodles and other littlies, and certainly for our pocket pets such as rabbits and birds, they don’t need to eat much chocolate at all to be seriously ill.

There is more of a safety margin for larger dogs such as Labradors and Golden Retrievers, however they do possess a remarkable ability for ‘inhaling’ delicious contraband items!

At its mildest, pets who eat chocolate may have abdominal pain, vomit and develop diarrhea secondary to the fat it contains.  In some animals this triggers a painful episode of pancreatitis, which makes them very ill indeed.

The theobromine in chocolate is much more dangerous, however, and can trigger not only vomiting and diarrhea, but also stimulates the heart and nervous system to cause hyperactivity, muscle tremors, seizures, heart arrhythmias and death.

What To Do When Your Pet Took Chocolate

If you discover your pet has eaten chocolate, please phone your vet immediately to advise them of the amount and type of chocolate ingested.  Your vet can use a ‘chocolate calculator’ to determine if a toxic dose was consumed.

If it happened within the previous couple of hours, then your vet may be able to make them vomit to reduce absorption of the toxin.  If your pet is showing signs of chocolate poisoning, such as twitching, restlessness, panting or seizures, phone your vet immediately and be prepared for them to stay in hospital.

It can take up to four days for dogs to recover from chocolate toxicity, and unfortunately pets who are severely affected do not all pull through.

So, Happy Easter, but please take care of the non-human members of the family and keep all chocolate well out of reach (or eat it straight away)!