Why you must keep your dog away from your Easter eggs

It’s almost Easter and that means one thing — copious amounts of chocolate. In most households there is plenty to go round but one family member is banned from sharing. Your dog. 

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Dogs Trust has issued a reminder to dog owners to keep their pooches away from chocolate following a survey that revealed 1 out of 10 pet dogs who have eaten chocolate intended for humans have fallen ill as a result. Of those dogs, 8 percent of them died due to the effects and almost a quarter of them needed urgent treatment from a vet.

If you’re a chocolate lover you may find it hard to believe that something so good could cause harm but it contains theobromine, which is perfectly safe for human consumption but extremely toxic to our doggy companions. The darker the chocolate, the greater the amount of theobromine and the greater the risk.

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Paula Boyden, the Dogs Trust Veterinary Director, said: “Apart from the risks of obesity and the obvious dangers of eating the foil wrapping, the biggest risk of eating human chocolate is poisoning, resulting in an emergency dash to the vet and sadly even death.

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“We estimate that just 50g of plain chocolate could be enough to kill a small dog, whilst just 400g could kill an average size dog, so we urge people to make sure they keep treats well out of the reach of pesky paws and make sure children don’t share their Easter eggs with their furry friends.”

Dogs Trust have the following tips for keeping “Chocs Away” from your dog this Easter:

• Never feed your dog chocolate intended for humans.
• If your egg is missing and you suspect your dog is the culprit contact your vet straight away.
• Be aware of the following symptoms: vomiting containing blood, a sore tummy, excessive thirst, excitability, drooling, rapid heart rate and, in severe cases, epileptic-type fits.
• If your dog is displaying any of these signs take him to your vet without delay.
• There is no antidote for theobromine poisoning meaning the sooner treatment is started, the greater the chance of recovery.
• If you want to treat your dog this Easter stick to natural doggy snacks that won’t cause harm.

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