Chocolate and Caffeine toxicity in dogs

THERE are many everyday substances that we use which can be poisonous to our furry friends. For instance the methylxanthines found in chocolate or caffeine. Methylxanthines stimulate the nervous system. Most of the time dogs do not eat or drink enough to cause clinical signs but may get mild vomiting and diarrhoea with excitability.

However, high levels of these toxins can be serious and cause cardiac and neurological symptoms.

If your pet has eaten something with caffeine or chocolate in please phone your vet.

We can help work out if the amount they have eaten may cause them harm and whether we need to see them. It can be something as simple as making them vomit if they get to us soon enough.

Poppy, a very lovely Golden retriever and pictured, was not so lucky when she visited us a few months ago. She unfortunately had managed to eat a rather large amount of chocolate or caffeine without her family knowing.

She is usually a very friendly and happy girl but had suddenly become wobbly on her feet and was quite subdued.

We were particularly worried about her as she was becoming increasingly more lethargic and was showing worsening neurological signs.

There are many things which can cause these signs and on discussion with her owners we decided to send Poppy to a referral centre for an emergency neurology work up including an MRI, testing of her spinal fluid and a toxicology screen.

Luckily her MRI and spinal fluid tests all came back clear and with rest and a fluid drip into her veins, she recovered back to her normal happy self within 24 hours.

Once processed her toxin test results came back with caffeine and chocolate toxicity.

Although Poppy did not come to us soon enough to empty her stomach by making her vomit we were still able to support her through her poisoning and protect her kidneys from any long term complications.

She is currently doing extremely well and was her usual friendly self when she recently came to visit.

The fact that chocolate and caffeine is toxic to dogs is becoming better known amongst our dog owners.

However I would like to remind you to please keep chocolate and caffeine away from easy places to reach and to be careful when disposing of these products.

We know what dogs are like and if you notice them eating any or if you think your pet may have eaten something which could harm them please phone your vet as soon as possible.

Claire Turner is a Veterinary Surgeon at St. Vincents Veterinary Surgery, a family-owned practice providing personal care for all your pets in

and around Wokingham