Why can't dogs be given chocolate?

Each owner loves his pet. After all, the dog is a member of the family, an almost 5-7-year-old child, so everyone wants to treat her with something tasty, for example, a candy or a slice of chocolate. But it is worth remembering that products that are normally tolerated by the human body, and even useful, can cause poisoning in dogs, if not fatal, then with serious consequences. Chocolate can be added to this list without hesitation.

Theobromine is a purine alkaloid, a nitrogen-containing substance that is found in cocoa beans. In medicine, it is used to treat bronchopulmonary diseases. In small doses, it causes increased urination and excites the heart muscle. In large doses, it initially has an exciting, then inhibitory effect on the nervous system, dilates and narrows the blood vessels. Chocolate, thanks to theobromine, which gives a sense of artificial pleasure, always and everyone improves mood and helps to cope with stress.

And for a dog, it is poison that causes euphoria and addiction, and acts like a drug or alcohol. Theobromine acts equally on the owner and his pet. The only difference is that in a dog, theobromine excretion period is longer than in humans and is about 20 hours. During this period, the dog's body fully feels the toxic effect of chocolate.

In addition, caffeine is an alkaloid, in action it is similar to theobromine, but chocolate contains much less. The dog causes a strong excitement, because of which the pet can become aggressive. It has a diuretic effect and is highly addictive. The dangers of excess sugar are not worth talking about. Obesity, allergies, accompanied by itching and dermatitis, and diabetes mellitus due to impaired insulin production - this is what awaits the animals, which the owners give sweet.

A large number of flavors - both artificial and chemical, also will not bring anything good to the dog. And the raisins contained in chocolate can also cause poisoning or provoke kidney disease in the dog. For a dog of a small breed, 10-15 grams will be enough.

Even after studying the properties of the substances that make up the chocolate, there will be hosts who say: "but it is unlikely that something will happen from a small piece of chocolate." Maybe it won’t happen, but experimenting with your pet is not worth it, since different types of chocolate contain different amounts of theobromine, which just causes poisoning. The amount of theobromine directly depends on the amount of cocoa in the chocolate, and the darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is for the dog.

For example, per 100 grams:

• white chocolate - 3.5 grams;
• milk chocolate - 150-200 grams;
• dark bitter chocolate (60.70.85% cocoa) - from 490 to 800 grams;
• chocolate for baking - 1350 grams.

According to the described example, it is clear that slices of milk chocolate will be enough for a small dog.

Scientists from America, having conducted a study, found that the first signs of poisoning can begin already at a ratio of theobromine of 20 mg / kg of the animal’s weight, and are most often accompanied by intestinal disorders.

Sweets with chocolate, marshmallows, chocolates and chocolate bars in their composition contain less cocoa products, respectively, and a smaller amount of hazardous substance, but it is still more than in white chocolate. However, there is another catch. Such goodies are very sweet and fatty, and can lead to the following diseases: pancreatitis, diabetes, kidney failure, obesity and heart disease.

The first symptoms may appear as early as 3 hours after the dog pulled and ate chocolate.

Here it is worth paying attention to the following points:

• the animal is overly active: the pet barks for no reason, moves from corner to corner, looking for a quiet place, lies down, but then gets up and runs;
• digestive disorders, vomiting and diarrhea appear;
• there is an increase in local temperature;
• the animal is trembling;
• heart palpitations;
• increased urination; blood may be present in the urine;
• the described symptoms may be accompanied by a violation of coordination.

If you notice or suspect that your pet has eaten chocolate, immediately go with him to the veterinary clinic. The sooner your pet is given first aid, the higher the likelihood of avoiding the effects of poisoning. If signs of deterioration have already manifested, and the animal has begun vomiting, don't stop her.

It is necessary to wait until the vomit contains in its composition food particles, and only after that use “Polysorb”, “Zoonorm” or “Enterosgel”. Next, you should go to the veterinarian who will take the tests and prescribe the treatment. Turning to a veterinary clinic within 2-4 hours, we can hope for a complete recovery of the dog. In other cases, complications or death are possible.

If your pet is very fond of chocolate, you can replace it with "dog". Chocolate for dogs is made from carob, they are a source of inulin, which is useful for digestion. The sweetness is given to the stevia herb, which is used by diabetics as a sweetener. And palm kernel oil and whey help the body to be in good shape. All ingredients are absolutely safe and do not cause allergies.

Lecithin and the vitamin complex will be very beneficial for the immune system. Blood albumin normalizes metabolism and will have a positive effect on the hematopoiesis system.

You can treat the dog with fruits and berries, especially since many tetrapods love them very much. They are harmless to the dog, and will become a source of vitamins. From fruits and berries you can give watermelon, apple, pear and apricots. The main thing is not to experiment with exotic. For a walk, it is recommended to take some dried meat, cut into thin slices, and encourage the dog for correctly executed commands. In addition, you will probably see a pet shop during the walk, which sells ready-made and healthy goodies.

Thus, we can verify that You can’t give chocolate to the dog. Even a small slice can contribute to poisoning, and you will reproach yourself for a minute weakness for a long time. Do not indulge the whims of a pet, because his health depends on it. Moreover, today there are many delicious and healthy products designed to replace a harmful treat.

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