I know we have all heard it before - chocolate is dangerous to dogs. Yet how many of you have also heard or said, “my dog has eaten chocolate and it’s still fine”? Chocolate in small amounts is dangerous because it will lead to your dog to craving it . Your dog will seek it out and eat more of it and that’s when it can lead to danger. The toxin theobromine is the deadly culprit in chocolate. It affects the central nervous system, as well as the heart, and increases urination. The amount of theobromine varies in different kinds of chocolate from white being the least dangerous to baking chocolate being the most. All chocolates will affect each dog differently depending on age, weight, and general health of the dog. You can never be sure how much is too much for your dog; but here is a list of approximately how much of each is dangerous to a 20-pound dog.

White chocolate: 200 oz/lb. of body weight. It takes 250 lbs. of white chocolate to cause signs of poisoning in a 20-pound dog, 125 lbs. for a 10-pound dog.

Milk chocolate: 1 oz/lb. of body weight. Approximately 1 lb. of milk chocolate is poisonous to a 20-pound dog; ½ lb. for a 10-pound dog.

The average chocolate bar contains 2-3 oz. of milk chocolate. It would take 2-3 candy bars to poison a 10-pound dog.

Semi-sweet chocolate has a similar toxic level to milk chocolate.

Sweet cocoa: 0.3 oz/lb. of body weight. One-third of a pound of sweet cocoa is toxic to a 20-pound dog; 1/6 lb. for a 10-pound dog.

Baking chocolate: 0.1 oz/lb. of body weight. Two 1 oz. squares of baker’s chocolate if toxic to a 20-pound dog; 1 oz. for a 10-pound dog.

When a dog eats chocolate it is absorbed into the bloodstream and increases the heart rate. Some visual cues are restlessness, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, increased urination and heavy panting. Over time these symptoms can evolve into hyperthermia, muscle tremors, seizures, coma and even death.

In the event your dog gets into chocolate, here are some quick first aid tips. First and most important, if you know your dog ate a potentially lethal amount of chocolate, get that dog to a vet as soon as possible. Theobromine is a long-lasting toxin that can sometimes take awhile to show symptoms. The quicker it is out of your dog’s system, the greater the survival rate. So first you need to assess the situation. How much chocolate did your dog eat, what kind and when?

- If your dog does need veterinary attention, they will also need to know these things.

- If your dog ate some of the lesser toxic chocolates and has diarrhea and/or vomiting, keep them hydrated.

- If their symptoms last for more than eight hours - four if it’s a puppy or senior - call the vet and make an appointment.

-If your dog ate the more toxic chocolates, you will need to induce vomiting.

The sooner you do it the better. Use 1-2 teaspoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide every 15 minutes until they begin to vomit or, if you have syrup of ipecac, use 2-3 teaspoons only once. After that give your dog some activated charcoal to soak up any remaining toxins. Mix the charcoal with water until it’s a soupy consistency. The dosage for dogs under 25 pounds is 1 teaspoon and over 25 pounds 2 teaspoons. Immediately contact your vet to let them know what happened and what you did. If they feel your dog will need further examination, don’t hesitate. This is only for emergency first aid; your vet is a qualified doctor. Should you come home and your dog is seizing or in a coma, take your dog to the vet. And remember to please be safe. If your pet is seizing stay away from the mouth as they may bite while out of control.

In all try to keep your dog away from chocolate. I know those begging eyes can be so hard to resist; but your pet’s life may depend on it.

Pet First Aid

We all love our pets. They are fun-loving, carefree and accident prone. Being prepared for accidents and injuries is our best defense. Every pet owner should have a pet first aid kit on hand. They are inexpensive and easy to put together yourself. Designate a spot in your house that is easily accessible, but out of the way, and keep your kit there always. Having a designated spot for your kit will make it easy to find in an emergency and you won’t lose precious time trying to locate it.

When you are making your kit, be sure to include a paper which lists your veterinarian’s number, the animal emergency clinic’s number (785-1094) and animal poison control’s number (888-252-7387). You will know right where the numbers are and you won’t waste time looking them up. A leash and collar or a slip lead, a bottle of water, a bowl and some food in a baggy should be included in the kit. This way, in case of an emergency evacuation, your pet will have the essentials. Gauze, vet wrap, hydrogen peroxide, a water-based lubricant and an antibiotic ointment can all be used to clean out a wound and keep it from getting infected. Towels are so useful to have in your kit. A towel can be used to apply pressure and stop bleeding, to help your pet retain body heat or to cool off an overheating pet by wetting down first with cool water. A towel can also be shimmied under your pet and used as a gurney or ripped into strips and used in conjunction with paint sticks to create a splint. Children’s benadryl can be used if your pet has an allergic reaction. The most important item, and probably the one thing you won’t want to add to your kit, is a muzzle. When a pet is seriously injured, in pain, seizing or frightened, it may inadvertently bite. So keep yourself safe and use the muzzle. Your pet will forgive you later.

In an emergency, always call your veterinarian and let them know the situation, what you did to help and how your pet is now. They are the professionals. First aid is just temporary help. If you pet needs further assistance, they will let you know. If you have an emergency and your pet needs immediate medical attention, be safe. Rushing past the point of safety puts you, your pet and others at risk. If you cannot safely transport your pet to your vet, ask a neighbor for help.