Symptoms of chocolate poisoning in dogs
Symptoms of chocolate poisoning in dogs are varied and usually have a delayed onset. Sometimes owners do not even realize what exactly the problem is – one reason why the poisoning is so dangerous.
The trigger of chocolate poisoning in dogs is the substance theobromine. It affects the animal’s central nervous system and leads to convulsions, increased blood pressure or even dangerous heart problems. However, externally, clear symptoms of poisoning are only visible at a late stage.
These symptoms indicate poisoning
Signs of chocolate poisoning in dogs can be diarrhea and vomiting. However, these symptoms are relatively common in four-legged friends. Often they have harmless causes. Owners therefore usually realize much too late that their darling needs urgent medical attention. In fact, some dog owners do not know: chocolate is toxic for dogs!
Other symptoms of chocolate poisoning in dogs can include restlessness and trembling. More obvious signs are seizures. In some cases, cardiac arrhythmias may even occur. In addition, the body of the animal heats up. Some quadrupeds have very great thirst and increased urge to urinate – they drink unusually much. In this way, they try to rebalance the moisture balance of the body. Because your faithful friend feels that his body shows an unusual reaction, probably the clearest sign of poisoning is the increased nervousness of the animal.
Chocolate poisoning in dogs must be treated quickly
Problematic: On the one hand, the symptoms of chocolate poisoning in dogs are difficult to distinguish from those of other diseases. On the other hand, really noticeable symptoms appear on average only after two to four hours. By then, most of the theobromine has long since passed into the dog’s blood – by which time inducing vomiting no longer helps. Only the veterinarian can still help with a targeted treatment of chocolate poisoning.
Depending on how severe the chocolate poisoning is in the dog, without treatment it can lead to the death of the poor four-legged friend within half a day. And even if the dog survives the poisoning, it may still show long-term symptoms such as liver dysfunction or hair loss. How to behave correctly if your furry friend has eaten chocolate, read the guide: “What to do if the dog has eaten chocolate?”
