Spring is in the air...
    ...along with the scent of Easter treats

Look under the couch! Check in the plant! Easter eggs are hiding everywhere! As long as its children hunting on all fours and not pets, you’re okay. But if you have pets that could be sniffing out those chocolate Easter treats before your children find them, be aware!

Chocolate is an incredibly tasty treat for dogs, and cats have been known to steal the odd piece of chocolate too, but pets and chocolate are a very dangerous mix. Chocolate contains a stimulant similar to caffeine called theobromine, and in high enough doses this chemical can have severe health effects in animals, including death.

While various reports list different toxic doses, to be safe, the lowest toxic dose is 45 mg of theobromine per pound of body weight. Different types of chocolate list different doses of theobromine per ounce, but generally, dark chocolate has much larger quantities of theobromine (10 gram/kilogram) compared to milk chocolate (1 to 5 gram/kilogram).

Animals that metabolize theobromine more slowly, especially cats (and even more so kittens) and dogs, can easily consume enough chocolate to cause theobromine poisoning. If your pet finds that hidden chocolate treat first, the theobromine can remain in its bloodstream for more than 24 hours and excessive amounts may cause epileptic seizures, heart attacks, internal bleeding and possibly death.

If your pet accidentally eats a dangerous amount of chocolate, medical treatment is to induce vomiting within two hours of ingestion, and to contact your veterinarian.

Chocolate is a preferred treat for people year-round, but Easter egg hunts are so much fun we tend to forget that our furry friends have a sweet tooth, too. So be diligent with your treats this year and keep an eye on Fido, and find him his own pet-friendly Easter treat to keep him occupied!

Kim Gault, Editor-in-Chief, Willow's Paws & Claws Rescue