Chocolate, Grapes, and Raisins are Toxic for Pets
Dogs are attracted to sweet treats like chocolate. Chocolate is a tasty treat that could turn toxic. The extent of toxicity an animal exhibits after consuming chocolate is based on a variety of factors, such as the type of chocolate ingested, the size of the animal, and the animal’s sensitivity to chocolate. Some typical signs of chocolate toxicity include excessive excitability, restlessness, increased heart rate, muscle tremors, vomiting and diarrhea.
Did you know that the stronger the chocolate, the more serious the ingestion can be and eating baking cocoa is more serious than eating milk chocolate?
There is no specific antidote for chocolate toxicity. Your pet is sweet enough, so no xylitol sweets for the sweet. Another dangerous substance associated with sweet treats is xylitol. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener found in sugar-free products, such as gum, candy, baked goods and some dental products. Even a small dose of xylitol can cause toxic effects; it can also be fatal. If a pet consumes xylitol, it can cause hypoglycemia (sudden decrease in blood glucose) or liver failure. If you suspect that your pet has eaten a product with xylitol, you should take it to a veterinarian immediately, as signs of toxicity can start within 30 minutes of ingestion (signs could also be delayed for a few days). Some of the clinical signs of xylitol toxicity in dogs include weakness, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle tremors, seizures, anaemia, increased thirst, increased urination, and bloody or tarry feces.
There have been some indications that ferrets may react to xylitol in the same way that dogs do. Cats may also exhibit some of these clinical signs if they ingest xylitol however, xylitol poisoning in cats appears to be rare, possibly because they may metabolize it differently or because they typically are not interested in eating food products that contain this sweetener, whereas dogs find these type of products very attractive to consume.
Grapes and raisins are used in many holiday recipes and if given to a pet can cause kidney failure and even death. Read more about kidney failure here. Make sure to not feed your pet any holiday sweets with raisins or grapes in them as these are considered toxic to pets. The specific toxin in grapes has not been identified yet so any ingestion is cause for concern.
Always remember to act quickly if your pet ingested any of the above sweet treats or a foreign object. In case of an emergency, don’t hesitate to call our DVES hotline at 04-3408601.
CONTACT US TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
Email frontdesk@abvc.ae
Call 04-3408601
WhatsApp 050-3440987
Written by Dr. Alexandra Gulinescu, ABVC veterinarian
