Alert: Chocolate is poisonous to dogs
Chocolate, although extremely tasty, contains caffeine and theobromine which are relatively harmless to us but dogs metabolise these chemicals much more slowly which makes them dangerous in sufficient amounts.
The darker the chocolate the more dangerous it can be. Five grams of baking chocolate per kilogram and fifty grams of milk chocolate per kilogram is potentially lethal.
The problem comes about when dogs gorge themselves on these hidden goodies, and thanks to their super sleuth noses they will easily win any Easter egg hunt hands down and rarely share their winnings.
Symptoms
Early symptoms in the first 2-4 hours may include restlessness, vomiting and diarrhoea and may progress to more advanced signs of stiffness, seizures, rapid heart rate, breathlessness and death within 12-36 hours.
Treatment
Treatment may include induction of vomiting, activated charcoal to prevent further absorption, gastric lavage, heavy sedation and antiarrhythmiagenic medication.
