This article originally appeared on my ongoing series of articles for Flexcin International, Inc as Holiday Dietary Indiscretion: Your Pet and Your Extra Halloween Candy
Halloween, Easter, and most other holidays focus on the abundance of decadent foods. Unfortunately, these tasty treats often pose dangerous health hazards to our pets when inappropriately ingested. Although Halloween is over, pet owners can’t overlook the potential their canine or feline companion will ingest the candy lingering around the house for weeks to come.
Dogs are very sensitive to stimulating chemicals, such as theobromine, which is found in chocolate. Most of these candies are all chock-full of sugar and fat, which can lead to digestive tract upset.
As parents strive to keep their kids from consuming mass quantities of this year’s candy, the same efforts should be made to protect pets. Children typically keep their candy to themselves and may even hide it in their rooms (for easy snacking). Unfortunately, this entices pets (especially dogs) to commit acts of dietary indiscretion.
Dietary indiscretion is the inappropriate consumption of foods or environmental materials, which commonly causes some form of digestive illness often requiring a veterinarian exam, diagnostics, and treatment. Around Halloween, dietary indiscretion involving chocolate is one of the most common toxic exposures we see.
Dogs are very sensitive to stimulating chemicals, such as theobromine, which is found in chocolate. Dogs metabolize theobromine at a slower rate than humans; therefore they are more susceptible to toxicity from chocolate consumption. Gastrointestinal, urogenital, cardiovascular, and neurologic signs can be seen.
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Dogs are very sensitive to stimulating chemicals, such as theobromine, which is found in chocolate. Most of these candies are all chock-full of sugar and fat, which can lead to digestive tract upset.
As parents strive to keep their kids from consuming mass quantities of this year’s candy, the same efforts should be made to protect pets. Children typically keep their candy to themselves and may even hide it in their rooms (for easy snacking). Unfortunately, this entices pets (especially dogs) to commit acts of dietary indiscretion.
Dietary indiscretion is the inappropriate consumption of foods or environmental materials, which commonly causes some form of digestive illness often requiring a veterinarian exam, diagnostics, and treatment. Around Halloween, dietary indiscretion involving chocolate is one of the most common toxic exposures we see.
Dogs are very sensitive to stimulating chemicals, such as theobromine, which is found in chocolate. Dogs metabolize theobromine at a slower rate than humans; therefore they are more susceptible to toxicity from chocolate consumption. Gastrointestinal, urogenital, cardiovascular, and neurologic signs can be seen.
- Gastrointestinal- vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, increase or decrease in water consumption
- Urogenital- increased urination, urinary incontinence
- Cardiovascular- increased heart rate, cardiac arrhythmia
- Neurologic- restlessness, agitation, vocalizing, muscle tremors, seizures, coma, death