Comments on: Dogs And Chocolate Don’t Mix http://www.talkaboutcoffee.com/dog-and-chocolate-dont-mix.html Talk About Coffee is a must visit site for all the coffee lovers out there :)) Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:03:26 +0000 hourly 1 By: frank b http://www.talkaboutcoffee.com/dog-and-chocolate-dont-mix.html/comment-page-1#comment-4092 frank b Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:46:38 +0000 http://www.talkaboutcoffee.com/dog-and-chocolate-dont-mix.html#comment-4092 Steve B, your personal experience notwithstanding, you are ill serving the audience by minimizing the effects of chocolate on dogs. My 35 pound dog ate about 6 ounces of dark chocolate and nearly died. He looked as if he had overdosed on crack, which is pretty much the effect that a dog gets. The half life of the chocolate is about 16 hours so if the dog eats enough to get a buzz, the effects last literally for days. His symptoms included: extreme agitation, extreme urinating, inability to sit still at all, increased heart rate and metabolism, panting, extremely short and rapid breathing. The dog required IVs and tranquilizers to stabilize his condition. While you are right that eating a chocolate chip cookie isn't going to hurt a dog, if the dog eats enough dark chocolate they will have a reaction similar to a cocaine overdose, only the overdose will last for days rather than minutes. Steve B, your personal experience notwithstanding, you are ill serving the audience by minimizing the effects of chocolate on dogs. My 35 pound dog ate about 6 ounces of dark chocolate and nearly died. He looked as if he had overdosed on crack, which is pretty much the effect that a dog gets. The half life of the chocolate is about 16 hours so if the dog eats enough to get a buzz, the effects last literally for days.

His symptoms included: extreme agitation, extreme urinating, inability to sit still at all, increased heart rate and metabolism, panting, extremely short and rapid breathing.

The dog required IVs and tranquilizers to stabilize his condition.

While you are right that eating a chocolate chip cookie isn’t going to hurt a dog, if the dog eats enough dark chocolate they will have a reaction similar to a cocaine overdose, only the overdose will last for days rather than minutes.

]]> By: steve B http://www.talkaboutcoffee.com/dog-and-chocolate-dont-mix.html/comment-page-1#comment-4063 steve B Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:12:02 +0000 http://www.talkaboutcoffee.com/dog-and-chocolate-dont-mix.html#comment-4063 Nancy, my bet is that by now your dog had proven just fine. Odd that this 'poison' is also the same thing that helps humans with antioxidents in both tea and dark chocolate. Nancy, my bet is that by now your dog had proven just fine. Odd that this ‘poison’ is also the same thing that helps humans with antioxidents in both tea and dark chocolate.

]]> By: steve B http://www.talkaboutcoffee.com/dog-and-chocolate-dont-mix.html/comment-page-1#comment-4062 steve B Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:09:39 +0000 http://www.talkaboutcoffee.com/dog-and-chocolate-dont-mix.html#comment-4062 I disagree with you. I know for a fact that my dog has eaten 10oz of dark chocolate without any ill effect. When I called the vet, they asked for her weight, and at 70lbs, they kind of laughed at me and said "no problem". You need to understand the science is that the 'poison' in chocolate is also poisonous to humans in large doses. The DIFFERENCE is that dogs can't remove this from their body efficiently. Humans can get it out of their system within 30 minutes. Dogs, 72 hours! So it stays in the system longer.. and it's cumulative! This dog is now 13, and just 3 days ago, my daughter left a 1lb of hear chocolates on the floor, and the dog age them all. She has had NO side effects. Yes, I was worried, but she's fine. Not that this isn't a serious concern, it IS real.. but it's is far overblown. If your dog is tiny, like 15lbs or less, be concerned, if your dog is 50lbs or more, he would have to eat an insane amount to cause ill effects. NOTE: if your dog DOES eat chocolate, watch for vomiting and restlessness or otherwise unusual behavior. ALso note the type of chocolate. My dog could eat 3lbs of milk chocolate and just get an upset digestive system, but 16 oz of bakers chocolate could cause some serious issues. Also note that all dark chocolate is not the same. The dove/dark my dog ate was 50%coacoa, nestles semi-sweet is slightly less, but more gormet chocolates can be 60-85% Granted you don't buy these chocolates in high amounts. Bakers chocalate is nearly 100% So it's NOT an exact science. So if in doubt, call your vet, but do NOT panic and do NOT hesitate to give your dog a chocolate chip cookie once and a while... just keep in mind not to make a habit of it. I disagree with you. I know for a fact that my dog has eaten 10oz of dark chocolate without any ill effect. When I called the vet, they asked for her weight, and at 70lbs, they kind of laughed at me and said “no problem”.

You need to understand the science is that the ‘poison’ in chocolate is also poisonous to humans in large doses. The DIFFERENCE is that dogs can’t remove this from their body efficiently. Humans can get it out of their system within 30 minutes. Dogs, 72 hours! So it stays in the system longer.. and it’s cumulative!

This dog is now 13, and just 3 days ago, my daughter left a 1lb of hear chocolates on the floor, and the dog age them all. She has had NO side effects. Yes, I was worried, but she’s fine.

Not that this isn’t a serious concern, it IS real.. but it’s is far overblown.

If your dog is tiny, like 15lbs or less, be concerned, if your dog is 50lbs or more, he would have to eat an insane amount to cause ill effects.

NOTE: if your dog DOES eat chocolate, watch for vomiting and restlessness or otherwise unusual behavior. ALso note the type of chocolate. My dog could eat 3lbs of milk chocolate and just get an upset digestive system, but 16 oz of bakers chocolate could cause some serious issues. Also note that all dark chocolate is not the same. The dove/dark my dog ate was 50%coacoa, nestles semi-sweet is slightly less, but more gormet chocolates can be 60-85% Granted you don’t buy these chocolates in high amounts. Bakers chocalate is nearly 100% So it’s NOT an exact science. So if in doubt, call your vet, but do NOT panic and do NOT hesitate to give your dog a chocolate chip cookie once and a while… just keep in mind not to make a habit of it.

]]> By: Nancy http://www.talkaboutcoffee.com/dog-and-chocolate-dont-mix.html/comment-page-1#comment-3871 Nancy Sun, 03 Jan 2010 20:56:07 +0000 http://www.talkaboutcoffee.com/dog-and-chocolate-dont-mix.html#comment-3871 My 5 month old puppy just drank a cup of coffee with eggnog cream in it...I am very worried, all the web sites are telling me Signs typically begin with restlessness, hyperactivity and vomiting. These can be followed by panting, weakness, drunken gait increased heart rate, muscle tremors and convulsions...This happened an hour ago and I don't know when the signs are supposed to appear. Is she going to die? What should I do? My 5 month old puppy just drank a cup of coffee with eggnog cream in it…I am very worried, all the web sites are telling me Signs typically begin with restlessness, hyperactivity and vomiting. These can be followed by panting, weakness, drunken gait increased heart rate, muscle tremors and convulsions…This happened an hour ago and I don’t know when the signs are supposed to appear. Is she going to die? What should I do?

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