Spring is a wonderful time to be a pet owner. The weather gets warmer, and there are lovely holidays to spend with family and friends. However, along with the holidays, hidden dangers can lead to tragic consequences for pets. These threats are multifaceted and range from merely “inconvenient” to, sadly, “death.”
The first is one that I have covered many times in the past. But, even with all the warnings, our emergency service sees the problem repeatedly. Chocolate is extremely toxic to pets. Every year my previous hospital cared for at least a dozen cases of chocolate poisoning in dogs right around this time of year. I have never seen a case in cats, although cats have been known to eat chocolate. Chocolate has a high content of theobromine, a chemical that is similar to caffeine, the stimulant commonly found in coffee. If a pet eats enough theobromine, it can die. Typical symptoms of chocolate poisoning include nervousness or excitability, restlessness, tremors, seizures, increased urination, markedly elevated body temperatures, coma, and potentially, death!
As a general guideline, the lethal dose for a 20-pound dog would have to eat at least 5 ounces of chocolate. One or two candies may not cause a problem, but the amount eaten could prove lethal if the dog gets into a box of chocolates. If this happens, get your dog to your emergency veterinarian IMMEDIATELY!
What should you do if you see your dog eats chocolate? First, try to determine how much and what type of chocolate your pet ate (e.g., milk or dark). That will help your veterinarian manage the situation. Next, call your veterinarian immediately and tell them you are on your way in with a chocolate ingestion emergency. Next, if you know that the dog JUST ate the chocolate, try to induce vomiting at home before you leave.
You can give your dog fresh Hydrogen Peroxide (check the date on the bottle). It does not take much, and too much can also make your dog sick. About 1 tablespoon for a dog less than 15 pounds and 2 tablespoons for a larger dog will start the vomiting response in about 3 – 5 minutes. Be very careful – this is extremely messy, and if the dog aspirates on the chocolate vomit, it can choke and die! Don’t waste time – get going NOW!
On a separate subject, cute baby animals, such as rabbits and chickens, are frequent gifts in springtime. These may be cute and cuddly when little, but they rapidly outgrow the fascination. Giving a person a pet is a huge assumed commitment. Not everybody wants a new pet, no matter how cute it is. Unfortunately, these pets either end up in the shelter, get euthanized, or, even worse, are turned loose. Every year the Monroe Sheriff Animal Farm gets dozens of abandoned “Easter Bunnies.” They do not need any more!
Please think before you act this spring season. Be careful with your confections, keep the chocolate away from pets, and don’t give any live animal away as a gift unless you are sure that the intended recipient is willing to take on the responsibility!
Dr. Doug Mader is a triple board-certified veterinary specialist and has been a veterinarian for nearly four decades.
He is an internationally recognized speaker and has written three best-selling medical textbooks and numerous scientific publications. He has had long-standing pet columns in the Long Beach Press-Telegram, Reptiles magazine, and the Key West Citizen. Dr. Mader is the recipient of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Conservation Award, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Achievement Award, and the Fred L. Frye Lifetime Achievement Award for Veterinary Medicine.
He is a seven-time winner of the North American Veterinary Community Speaker of the Year award and a four-time winner of the Western Veterinary Conference Educator of the Year award. He is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Mader is Human Animal Bond Certified and practiced in California for many years, but today lives and works in the Florida Keys.
By Dr. Doug Mader
