Chocolates on the list of poisonous foods for your dog

Jabulile D Zwane

As we continue to explore poisonous items to your pet in our second segment, it’s important to remember that these harmful foods and household items, are based on commonly reported substances to most vets. Chocolate – humans can’t resist a good slab of chocolate, but please don’t get caught up in the moment of wanting to share it with your pet. Chocolate and cocoa contain a chemical called theobromine (a relative of caffeine), which if ingested can pose fatal damage to the heart, lungs, kidney and central nervous system. The darker the chocolate, bitter tasting and more concentrated, the more dangerous it is. Which means, pure baking chocolate is most toxic, while milk chocolate would have to have a higher quantity to cause harm. So a 10kg dog can be poisoned by eating about 50 to 60g of baking chocolate, while it would take about 500g of milk choc to cause harm. Symptoms include tremors, seizures, vomiting, diarrhoea, abnormal heart palpitations and hyperthermia. Fruit pits and seeds – apple seeds, cherry, peach and plum pits contain cyanide, a highly poisonous chemical. And on the other hand, avocados, their leaves and tree bark contain Persin, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea; and their fat content is unhealthy. Rotten or mouldy foods – these can cause many problems, some more serious than others. If food looks and smells offish, toss it out. If you won’t eat it, your pet doesn’t deserve it, either. There’s a reason for that “use-by date”. Rotten fruit produces ethanol, a toxic chemical compound that’s found in alcoholic beverages which causes damage to the central nervous system and respiratory deterioration. – Oukaapsevet