why and at what dose is chocolate dangerous for your dog?

Easter, a magical moment for chocolate aficionados. You know, this sweetness that brings joy and well-being. Except that for dogs, the situation is quite different: chocolate is dangerous. And even if some owners are aware, this little reminder is still necessary, because an accident can happen quickly. Short science lesson: cocoa contains theobromine which is an alkaloid, an organic substance of natural origin belonging to the methylxanthine family, like coffee. On the human body the effects of these components are numerous: antioxidant, anti-stress and good cardiovascular prevention. But our dog friends don’t metabolize (transform) theobromine as well, as explained sciencepost.fr. If large amounts of chocolate are ingested, then the compound increases the heart rate of our faithful companions, while damaging their kidneys.

How much chocolate is it dangerous?

The toxicity depends on the amount of chocolate consumed and the weight of the animal. “Generally, mild symptoms of toxicity (vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness) occur when a dog consumes 20 mg of theobromine per kilogram (body weight), can we read on the specialized site. Cardiac symptoms occur at approximately 40-50 mg / kg and dangerous attacks occur at doses above 60 mg / kg. ” And these symptoms appear within 6 to 12 hours after the dog swallows too much chocolate, and the effects can last for up to 72 hours. The different chocolate specialties also vary the dangerousness of the meal. “A dark chocolate 70% cocoa contains, for example, about 802 mg / kg, while a Twix contains about 40 mg / k”, announcement sciencepost.fr. If you want even more details, the site bionica offers an online toxicity calculator.

In case of poisoning, immediately call your veterinarian or the person on duty, they may induce vomiting in order to protect your dog from any further problems. And to avoid incidents, there is only one solution: keep your Easter harvest well hidden …