Chocolate & Your Friend
Chocolate is very tasty to dogs, though not so tasty to cats, but we all know that cats are more picky. Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine, a potent stimulant that is chemically similar to caffeine.
Chocolate is very toxic to your pets. Cats who eat too much chocolate may vomit at first and/or have diarrhea. If enough of the chocolate is absorbed, the cat may start to show signs of hyperactivity, panting, pacing, restlessness or muscle tremors. With all the stimulant effects comes a very rapid heartbeat and even seizures, both of which can be fatal.
Poisoning is more common around holiday times, when chocolate products and candies are more likely to be left out. Baking chocolate is the most deadly form of chocolate because it is the most concentrated form. The next most toxic form is semisweet chocolate, followed by milk chocolate, hot chocolate or chocolate milk, and white chocolate.
Also, the more expensive the chocolate product, the more "real" chocolate it contains and thus the more toxic it is. So if your cat consumes a Snickers bar, it's probably less harmful than if he eats a box of imported French truffles! Keep in mind, however, that a mere two ounces of baking chocolate or one-quarter pound of milk chocolate can be lethal for a 8-pound cat. It's not at all unusual for a cat to consume this amount in a single episode.
What do you do if Fifi breaks into the candy box or steals the pan of brownies? Call your veterinarian or animal poison-control center immediately! The Pet Poison Hotline number is 800-565-5719. Be ready to relate the type of chocolate consumed and the amount, the time the ingestion occurred, and the approximate weight of the cat. You may be instructed on how to induce vomiting and how to monitor the cat's condition. A veterinarian should check the cat as soon as possible because treatment can be given to alleviate some of the symptoms and better insure a positive outcome. |
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