As Easter approaches, the veterinary surgeons here at Calder Vets are urging dog owners to keep their chocolate eggs out of sight.<\/p>\n
Chocolate contains theobromine which, although tolerated by humans, is extremely toxic to dogs. The darker the chocolate, the greater the amount of theobromine.<\/p>\n
Toxic doses vary according to the size of your dog and cocoa solid content of the chocolate. As a rough guide it has been estimated that only 50g of plain chocolate could be enough to kill a small dog such as a Yorkshire Terrier, while just 400g could be enough to kill an average size dog.<\/p>\n
Stuart Cooke, managing director of Calder Vets, said: \u201cNever give chocolate to your dog or leave it in a place where your dog could help themselves to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Symptoms of chocolate poisoning in dogs, which unfortunately can prove fatal, include:<\/p>\n
If your dog is displaying any of these symptoms then take him to your local vet immediately.<\/b><\/p>\nKeeping your dog safe this Easter<\/h2>\n
Follow these tips to keep your dog safe from chocolate:<\/p>\n
1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Keep your chocolate hidden away out of sight and unavailable to your dog<\/p>\n
2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 NEVER feed your dog chocolate intended for humans<\/p>\n
3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If your chocolate Easter egg is missing and you suspect the dog is the culprit, contact your local vet straight away<\/p>\n
There is no antidote for theobromine poisoning with treatment being symptomatic. Therefore the sooner treatment is implemented, the greater the chance of recovery.<\/b><\/p>\nWhat to do if you suspect your dog has chocolate poisoning<\/h2>\n
If you suspect your dog has chocolate poisoning, contact your local vet immediately. If you are based in West Yorkshire, you can call the Calder Vets emergency helpline<\/a> or contact your local branch<\/a>.<\/p>\n Calder Vets prides itself on providing a personal, caring and professional service where the well-being of animals is the number one priority. It has some of the best veterinary facilities in the North of England and has 11 practices in West Yorkshire \u2013 Dewsbury<\/a>, Mirfield<\/a>, Wakefield<\/a>, Sandal<\/a>,\u00a0Brighouse<\/a>, Horbury<\/a>, Halton<\/a>, Lockwood<\/a>, Penistone<\/a>, Denby Dale<\/a> and our new branch at Waterloo<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As Easter approaches, the veterinary surgeons here at Calder Vets are urging dog owners to keep their chocolate eggs out of sight.<\/p>\n