Could you please advise why dogs shouldnt eat chocolate and cooked bones. can these cause death?
Two Response(s) to “Dogs”:
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Jamie Huber says:
December 13th, 2008 at 01:07 PM
Cacao beans (the bean chocolate is made from) contains a chemical called theobromine. This is the toxic component of chocolate. Unlike humans, dogs can not breakdown theobromine efficiently, causing levels to rise too high. Ingesting a toxic dose of this chemical (which is easily possible if a dog gets into a chocolate treat you have in your home) can cause problems in the nervous system and heart in addition to vomiting and diarrhea. Some of the problems associated with chocolate toxicity include dehydration from the vomiting and diarrhea, irregular heart rhythms which can lead to cardiac arrest, and severe nervous system problems such as seizures and even comas. If you suspect your dog has ingested chocolate, call your veterinarian immediately and they will advise you what to do.
On your question of bones, I would not recommend feeding your dog any bones. The reason for this is that bones (especially cooked ones) have a tendency to break and splinter into smaller pieces. These pieces are very sharp and can poke into and through your dog's internal organs such as the stomach or intestine. This can cause bleeding, with vomiting and diarrhea, and infection. This type of injury is usually treated with surgical repair and anti-biotics. It is much easier (and cheaper for that matter) to not give bones to your dog. If you must, watch your dog closely while they eat it and take away any small pieces. Never give your dog small bones such as chicken bones. Small bones have another risk that is choking. Your dog may try to swallow the small pieces and choke on it and end up dying from not being able to breath. Again, it is simply easier to just not give your dog any bones at all.
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Christian suggests:
September 19th, 2009 at 12:09 AM
Great answer Jamie, thanks for the explanation!
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