Can chocolate harm your dog?
This is a really important question, one that does surprise a lot of dog owners and dog lovers out there.
Some of them might consider a little piece of chocolate the perfect dog treat. Just something sweet and rewarding, not something dangerous or an issue.
Why is chocolate an issue in the dog’s alimentation?
All dog breeds love chocolate and crave for it. Don’t use it as a favorite treat for them. They will accommodate to the chocolate and this will affect their health and body harmony.
So, yes, it will kill your dog by poisoning him. The various chocolate products are made of many elements, but the main poisoning factor is the theobromine, a bitter alkaloid produced by the cacao plant. Theobromine was commonly used in the 19th century as therapeutic uses for humans and it has the following features:
- it is a vasodilator: it widens the blood vessels;
- it is a diuretic: it helps the urination process;
- it is a heart stimulant;
Concerning the dogs and all animals in general, this theobromine has a poisoning effect. The small amounts of theobromine found in normal chocolate products has a minor effect on humans and it is safe to consume, but for dogs it is pure poison. This factor will generate nervous system and hearth problems in all animal breeds.
Let’s use this example. You take two small pieces of chocolate and give them as treats to your dog. These two small pieces are more than 60 grams of chocolate and have a dangerous effect on small dogs. For average-sized dogs, this amount will be higher, about 400 grams of chocolate.
However you put it, chocolate is really dangerous. You will see that your dog’s health condition starts to present complications. Digestive issues will appear, you dog will dehydrate, he’ll become highly excited and his heart rate will slow down. The worst and fatal complication will result in a seizure and even death.
You can check the vet’s advice but he will tell you the same thing: your dog must stay away from chocolate based treats. But wait, I’m not done yet. There are other harmful and poisonous foods for your dog. Don’t feed him human food, especially those that contain garlic and onions, because they are really toxic. Don’t give him milk because they might get lactose intolerant. Don’t use bone treats, because they will splinter after ingestion and get stuck intestinally, causing even fatality. Alcohol is another great danger for your dog.
Most human foods create high discomfort and mild digestive upsets so you must decide if you want to play with your dogs’ safety and health.
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