The Easter long weekend is fast approaching here on the Surfcoast and for many of us this means some time off to enjoy with family, friends and most importantly… an excuse to eat lots of chocolate and hot cross buns!
For our furry friends, it also provides an excellent opportunity to try and score some secret tasty snacks whilst mum or dad aren’t looking. Most pet owners are aware that chocolate and raisins found in hot cross buns can be toxic to dogs, but that doesn’t always stop accidents from happening, especially with small children involved or with pets who are very motivated to taste the good stuff!
For those not aware of the risks of chocolate and raisins/ grapes for pets, we will include some information below.
Chocolate:
Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, both of which are toxic to dogs. The amount of risk is relative to cocoa content, which means that dark chocolate and baking chocolate pose the greatest risk, while milk chocolate has less and white chocolate is negligible. If you suspect your dog may have eaten some chocolate, it is best to contact your veterinarian to discuss risks and decide a plan. It is helpful to provide information about the possible time of ingestion of the chocolate, chocolate type, amount that could have been ingested and rough weight of your dog.
Clinical signs of chocolate toxicity generally occur between 1-12 hours after ingestion and can range from mild (panting, hyperactivity, increased drinking, increased urinating, vomiting and diarrhoea) to severe and life threatening (tremors, wobbliness, hyperthermia, cardiac arrythmias and seizures). It is important to seek advice as early as possible as gastric decontamination via vomiting and feeding activated charcoal (this is not regular charcoal, so please don’t attempt treatment at home), is the most effective way of preventing more serious and severe toxicities. If you are in the Torquay/ Surfcoast, Geelong or surrounding regions, please don’t hesitate to contact Torquay Animal House Vet Hospital if you are at all concerned and our team can advise on whether we think a veterinary visit is necessary.
Raisins:
Raisin or grape toxicity is somewhat more of a mystery than chocolate, though the risks are no less serious, but the issues are thought to be caused by the compounds of tartaric acid (TA) and/or potassium bitartrate salt. The results of raisin toxicity is acute kidney injury to patients. The amount of these compounds present in grapes as well as dogs susceptibility to toxicity varies greatly, so we recommend seeking veterinary advice even if you think your dog has ingested only a small amount – even a single grape or raisin – as in some animals, this is enough to cause severe issues.
Some clinic signs of grape and raisin toxicity can be: vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, weakness, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, bad breath (uraemic breath), signs of kidney failure (eg reduced or no urination) and neurological abnormalities (tremors, seizures, ataxia/ wobbliness) in some cases.
We hope all this information helps act as another friendly reminder to be extra careful over the easter period when it comes to our pets. Torquay Animal House Vets wish everyone a safe and happy long weekend!