FOOD HAZARDS: Chocolate Toxicity

Everyone is told chocolate is bad for pets, 

but do you know why? 

Cacao beans contain theobromine and caffeine which are both highly toxic 

to your dogs AND cats. 

If one of your pets has ingested any amount of chocolate expect to see some vomiting, and probably some diarrhea, too. Your pets' temperature and heart rate will also increase as their blood pressure lowers, and they can potentially have seizures. Cardiac failure can also be caused in severe toxicity cases.

The darker the chocolate, the heavier the toxin:
As little as one pound of milk chocolate can be toxic to a 20-pound dog; 6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate; or 2 ounces of baking chocolate. Check out PetMed.com's Chocolate Toxicity Meter to see how toxic chocolate is for your pet!

There is NO ANTIDOTE to chocolate toxicity, so if you believe your pet has ingested any chocolate, please seek Emergency Care right away! 

The LAH Team wishes you and your pets a safe and

Happy Halloween!

At Lombard Animal Hospital, in Portland, Oregon we strive to increase the quality of life for pets and their people through education, 
nutrition and wellness!

Give us a call -- We'd love to see you and your pets!

503.285.2337

www.lombardanimalhospital.com