It's almost Easter weekend when we surround ourselves by every kind of chocolate and indulge. Dog owners should beware that chocolate is extremely dangerous and toxic to dogs. But this isn't the only food that causes adverse effects:
Chocolate: most households will have their fair share of chocolate around this time of year. Beware of opportunist puppies who will nibble at anything in sight when left unattended. Ensure all chocolate treats are not accessible to your pet. If you're worried your dog has eaten some chocolate, seek advice from your vet immediately and look out for vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness and hyperactivity, rapid breathing, increased heart rate and even seizures.
Seek treatment as soon as possible if your dog is displaying these symptoms. It will assist your vet if you can tell them how much chocolate your dog has eaten and what kind. Darker chocolate contains more theobromine, which is what is poisonous to your pet.
Fruit: grapes and raisins can lead to serious adverse reactions from your pet. Symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea as well as lethargy could indicate your pet has eaten some fruit that they shouldn't have. Beware the signs and seek assistance from your vet before an advance to extreme dehydration and a lack of appetite.
Nuts: especially macadamia nuts which can even cause a dog to collapse if consumed in large amounts as well as posing as a choking hazard.
Garlic and onions: both garlic and onion contain compounds that can be toxic to dogs dependent on the dose and form. Garlic powder can be harmful if given in high doses. Onions are of the same family as garlic and are even more unsafe to dogs than garlic per ounce. Symptoms of excessive garlic consumption can take a while to surface. At first though you may notice they are more tired than usual and don't want to move around much.
Sweets and mints: lots of mints, gum and candy contain xylitol which is a natural, sugar-free sweetener. The volume of xylitol varies widely from product to product. Consumption of it in smaller quantities can cause life-threatening low blood sugar within 10-15 minutes. If a dog consumes a lot of xylitol it can lead to liver failure. Symptoms of this poisoning include collapse, vomiting, seizures, jaundice, malaise, and can in worse case scenarios prove to be fatal.
If you ever suspect your dog is suffering from toxic symptoms consult your vet as soon as possible. Your dog may need treatment and or a prescription. AniForte Natural Detox can reduce the toxins and help with recovery of liver and body long term. It binds toxins, so that they can easily leave the body without affecting the liver and body any more. AniForte Topin Pur can also help short term with acute diarrhoea and the recovery of the intestinal flora which gets damaged by symptoms of toxification.