All dog owners know it well: the chocolate, for them, it is strictly prohibited. But why ? This January 20, 2016, the American Chemical Society (an American association specializing in the field of scientific research in chemistry) posted on its Youtube channel a short video to explain why chocolate was bad for the health of our four-legged friends.
In question: theobromine
Playful (but unfortunately in English), this short film explains to us that everything is the fault of a molecule, naturally present in cocoa: theobromine. Like the caffeine – to which it is similar, on the atomic level, since they have almost the same structure, theobromine acts on the brain: it blocks the receptors responsible for processing adenosine, the “fatigue molecule”. In addition, theobromine tends to increase the heart rate, which boosts muscle oxygenation and blood pressure.
As a result, when we eat chocolate, we have a little peak of excitement, we feel less tired. Problem: in dogs, theobromine is poorly “taken care of” (or metabolized) by the body. Its effects therefore last much longer than in humans, which endangers the central nervous system.
When to worry
There is mortal danger if the dog swallowed more than 300 mg per 1 kg of chocolate (if your dog weighs 3 kg, the “limit” dose is therefore … 900 mg). And the danger is even higher if it is dark chocolate, more concentrated in theobromine! The American Chemical Society further insists that the smaller the dog, the greater the risk. On the side of cats, (almost) no risks: they are generally not attracted to sweets.
When a dog swallows chocolate, the first symptoms of theobromine poisoning occur about 6 hours later: fever, diarrhea, vomiting, high heart rate … Contact your veterinarian quickly!
