Chocolate poisoning is a relatively common emergency in veterinary practice. But why exactly? What are the risks for my pet if they ingest it, and how should I respond? Here are all the answers to your questions about chocolate.
Why Is Chocolate Toxic to My Cat and Dog?
Simply because our pets' livers cannot break down the theobromine found in chocolate. This molecule, which belongs to the same family as caffeine, is present in varying amounts in chocolate, depending on its cocoa content. The higher the cocoa content, the more theobromine it contains. The percentage of cocoa in the ingested chocolate will therefore determine its toxicity.
What Are the Risks if My Pet Ingests Chocolate?
The toxic molecule—theobromine—is known as a stimulant of the central nervous system and the myocardium, the heart muscle. It also induces relaxation of smooth muscle fibers—particularly in the bronchi—and promotes urine production.
Signs of poisoning appear within 4 to 6 hours after ingestion. Initially, the animal becomes restless, showing diarrhea, vomiting, increased urination, elevated body temperature, and faster heart and respiratory rates. Later, cardiac arrhythmias, muscle stiffness, lack of coordination, loss of balance, and seizures may develop. Poisoning can lead to coma and death.
What to Do If Your Pet Ingests Chocolate
If your pet ingests chocolate, your first step should be to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Only symptomatic treatment can be administered: there is no antidote for theobromine poisoning.
If ingestion occurred recently—within the last 2 hours—and symptoms have not yet appeared, your vet will administer an injection to your dog or cat to induce vomiting. Your pet will then be given activated charcoal orally.
When Should I Be Concerned?
Everything depends on the amount of chocolate ingested, the cocoa percentage in the chocolate, and finally, your pet's weight.
For example, just over 20g of dark chocolate can already trigger symptoms in a 10kg dog.
So, What About White Chocolate?
White chocolate contains no cocoa. So no risk of theobromine poisoning... but the amounts of sugar and fat in these treats are likely to cause other issues.
