Ahead of the imminent festive period, scientists are warning pet owners that chocolate can severely harm pets. Chocolate can cause a range of illnesses in a variety of animals, including convulsions, diarrhoea, hyperthermia, muscle tremors and vomiting, whilst there may be fatal effects in animals who digest theobromine particularly slowly.
Dogs are an example of an animal who digest theobromine slowly. Theobromine is a bitter alkaloid of the cocoa plant found in chocolate, and is particularly harmful to small dogs. As a general rule, dark chocolate contains more theobromine than other forms of chocolate, and is thus a particularly ill-advised choice of treat for your dog this Christmas .
This is the latest campaign against feeding dogs chocolate, with the RSPCA previously conducting a campaign designed to raise awareness of the harmful effects that feeding dogs chocolate can have. There have already been nearly 1000 reported incidents of dogs requiring veterinary treatment this year as a result of being given chocolate.
