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Can You Give Chocolate to Your Dog: Mortal Danger or Myth
31.01.2023 03:30
Updated: 13.04.2023 18:01
A dog is not just a pet, but a four-legged member of the family that you want to pamper and treat with all sorts of goodies.
After all, the dog is so happy about another treat from the human table! But you shouldn't do this.
Many products provoke the development of diseases, and some even lead to death. And one of the most dangerous products for a dog is chocolate.
Some people think that a chocolate bar can put you at risk for life is a myth. But is it true?
"Non-hazardous" danger
The first thing dog owners should know is that animals should not be given sweets, fatty foods, or caffeine. Such foods can lead to serious health problems. Fatty and sweet foods provoke the development of pancreatitis.
Therefore, sweets from the table or fatty sour cream will not bring any joy to either your pet or you. The dog will suffer from the disease, and you from the need to treat it. And this could have been so easily avoided!
Another component contained in chocolate is caffeine. It acts in the same way as on people. But animals, firstly, are smaller in size, so a small dose by human standards is significant for a dog, and secondly, they are more sensitive. Caffeine causes hyperactivity, tremors, and with constant use, addiction, which negatively affects health in general. Vomiting, tachycardia and other symptoms are also possible.
All of these substances cause a lot of problems, but are rarely fatal, except in older or sick dogs.
Mortal danger
But there is another substance in chocolate – theobromine. This is the one that is truly dangerous, as it is poisonous to animals. The human body easily metabolizes it, but the dog’s body is not capable of doing this. Theobromine increases the heart rate, its strength, and provokes hyperactivity. Sometimes the dog experiences diarrhea, increased salivation, vomiting, and fever.
The extreme stage of poisoning is tremors, irregular heartbeat, convulsions and death. In severe cases of poisoning, internal bleeding is possible.
Note: Theobromine is even more dangerous for cats than for dogs.
Dark chocolate is especially dangerous, as it contains the highest amount of theobromine.
Why do many people consider chocolate poisoning a myth? It's all about the dose. If a dog eats a piece of chocolate, it won't do it any good, but it's unlikely to cause poisoning with obvious symptoms. It's important to remember that it's all about the size of the animal. A piece that's not dangerous for a German Shepherd can be fatal for a Chihuahua or Pekingese. You shouldn't worry if even a small dog steals one candy from the table. But a chocolate bar or 100 grams of candy already poses a danger to its health, so you should take your pet to the vet.
