Well here it is Halloween's Eve, and I'm just getting to warning everyone about your pets and all that candy. You would not believe the number of animals that get presented to animal emergency clinics for candy and chocolate ingestion during not only Halloween but all through the holidays. The two major concerns are chocolate and xylitol-sweetener in chewing gum. But, that being said if your teacup poodle eats a whole package of Skittles. I would be a little concerned about intestinal upset and possible pancreatitis. Both of which can need medical attention and in the case of pancreatitis, be deadly.
Soooo, Chocolate: The fat and sugar in the chocolate can create an unpleasant but temporary upset stomach. This is what happens in most chocolate ingestion cases. Chocolate is, however, directly toxic because of the theobromine. This makes baking chocolate the worst for pets, followed by semisweet and dark chocolate, followed by milk chocolate, followed by chocolate flavored cakes or cookies. Theobromine causes:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Hyperactivity
- Tremors
- Seizures
- Racing heart rhythm progressing to abnormal rhythms
- Death in severe cases
It is often difficult to determine exactly how many grams of xylitol were ingested. Although the xylitol content is more commonly listed on food products, this is not the case with many chewing gums. In general, we estimate that one or two pieces of gum could cause hypoglycemia in a 20 lb dog.
- Vomiting is often the first symptom
- Signs of hypoglycemia (lethargy, weakness) occur rapidly
- Diarrhea, collapse and seizures may be seen.
- Dogs that develop acute liver failure may not show signs of hypoglycemia immediately after ingestion of xylitol.
Happy Halloween, and be safe all you ghouls!!
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