Both caffeine and theobromine act as stimulants and will negatively affect Harper’s nervous and cardiovascular systems. Ingestion can cause seizures and, depending on other conditions in Harper’s that you are not aware of, can be fatal. Nausea, vomiting, and increased blood pressure are other unpleasant side effects that Harper is sure to experience. What makes theobromine so toxic to dogs is their inability to break down the chemical as quickly or easily as humans do. The half-life of this substance is approximately 17.5 hours. Website design By BotEap.comThere’s good news, if Harper swallowed a single chocolate chip that fell to the ground; you don’t have to start panicking right away. Depending on the size and health of her dog, and the type of chocolate chips, it may take more than a single chocolate chip to cause serious damage to her dog’s system. Website design By BotEap.comWhat should you do if Harper gets into the chocolate? Panic?
Harper will not react to all chocolates in the same way. The ‘safe’ chocolate for him is white chocolate. Assuming Harper is a twenty pound dog, it would take about two hundred and fifty pounds of white chocolate before it did any serious damage to Harper’s system. Due to the high concentration of semi-sweet chocolate, this poses a greater threat to Harper than milk chocolate and white chocolates. Harper could only eat twenty ounces to cause an adverse event in Harper. A third of a pound of sweet cocoa is the amount it will take to cause damage, and only two ounces of baking chocolate. If Harper takes lower doses of chocolate than this, call your vet for advice on what to do, it’s not worth the risk of ‘waiting and finding out’ if he’ll be okay. It’s good to note that cocoa husk mulch is also highly toxic to dogs. Website design By BotEap.comRegardless of what your Harper emergency is, while you might be inclined to freak out, don’t do it for Harper’s sake. Keeping in mind that dogs react to your emotions, if they feel fear, this will initiate their fight or flight reaction, which can exacerbate any reaction. Stay calm, assess the situation, and when in doubt, if you can’t do it, call your spouse, who may be less inclined to create a situation that doesn’t need to be created. Website design By BotEap.comContacting your vet is the first thing to do if your dog likes chocolate. Tell him what kind of chocolate Harper got into and how much, and your vet will tell you what to do from there. He or she might recommend inducing vomiting within the first two hours of Harper’s chocolate ingestion. Website design By BotEap.comIs there a fun gift you can give Harper?
Thinking that if a lot of chocolate is toxic, a small amount surely should be fine for Harper, right? After all, given the amount of chocolate mentioned above, a little bite can’t hurt, can it? Currently, this is not the case. Just like you and me, once we long for something, we seek it out, don’t we? Harper is no different. If you present her with a shard, she will sniff it out and sneak it away when you’re not looking or on the lookout to keep it safe. Almost like a bee sting, the first time it can cause a seizure, the second or third time it can be fatal. It’s just better not to ‘go this way’. You enjoy your chocolate and if you want to give Harper a treat from time to time, here is one to try: Website design By BotEap.comTake an omelet, put some melted butter on it. In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon sugar (preferably brown). Sprinkle mixture over tortilla. Place in the oven at 350°F for three minutes, then place on the counter to cool. When it’s cool enough that you can keep your hand on it for ten seconds without burning yourself, cut it into small triangles and place them on Harper’s plate. Website design By BotEap.comYou don’t need to do this often. In fact, once a month or less is all the sugar Harper needs in her diet.