Did you know that chocolate contains a substance that is toxic for your dog, cat, horse and even parrots? If fed large quantities it can very well kill your beloved pet.

The substance in chocolate that is toxic to pets is Theobromine. Humans can safely consume this chemical in reasonable quantities but pets have trouble metabolizing it at a fast enough rate.

Signs of chocolate poisoning in your pet
The first signs of theobromine poisoning are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and increased urination. These can progress to cardiac arrhythmias, epileptic seizures, internal bleeding, heart attacks and eventually death.

Theobromine is especially toxic to horses, dogs, parrots, voles and cats because they are unable to metabolize the chemical effectively. If they are fed chocolate, the theobromine will remain in their bloodstream for up to 20 hours. Medical treatment involves inducing vomiting within two hours of ingestion, or contacting a veterinarian.

How much is too much for your pet?
A typical 20 kg dog will normally experience intestinal distress after eating less than 240g of milk chocolate. Obviously for smaller dogs it requires a lot less. Approximately 1.3 g of baker's chocolate per kilogram of a dog's body weight (0.02 oz/lb) is sufficient to cause symptoms of toxicity. For example, a typical 25 gram baker's chocolate bar would be enough to bring out symptoms in a 20 kg dog.