07/07/2025
Today is world chocolate day! 🍫
We thought we would take this opportunity to give you some advice on chocolate and your pet!
Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine, which is perfectly safe for humans, but toxic for dogs, cats and rabbits.
The seriousness of chocolate poisoning depends on how much chocolate your pet has eaten, how big they are, and the cocoa content of the chocolate – the darker the chocolate the more toxic it’s likely to be.
Theobromine is a similar substance to caffeine and if it’s ingested at a toxic dose, it can cause the nervous system, guts, and muscles to go into overdrive. This typically causes symptoms such as:
- Excitement, restlessness, agitation and hyperactivity
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Drinking and weeing more than usual
- Abdominal (tummy) pain
Symptoms of chocolate poisoning usually appear within two to four hours but can take up to 12 hours. In severe cases, toxicity can cause:
- Fast breathing or panting
- Shaking, trembling and tremors
- High temperature (fever)
- Seizures
- A fast heart rate
- High blood pressure
When to contact your vet?
If you suspect your pet may have eaten chocolate, don’t wait for symptoms to appear. You should immediately call your veterinary practice for advice. You will need to tell them the type of chocolate, how much they ingested, the size of your pet, and when it happened.
If you have any questions please feel free to give one of our friendly team a call on 0113 824 2700. You can also contact us via Facebook messenger. 🐝