Veterinary Information:
Dogs and Chocolate Poisoning

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More information on Dogs and Chocolate Poisoning

Symptoms: First symptoms of chocolate intoxication usually occur 6-12 hours after chocolate intake (sometimes within an hour).
-restlessness, hyperactivity, panting
-polyuria and polydipsia (increase of water intake and urinating)
-vomiting and diarrhoea
-ataxia, tremors, lethargy
-tachycardia (sometimes bradycardia), cardiac arrhythmia
-seizures
-hypertension (sometimes hypotension)
-hyperthermia
-coma and death.

Therapy:
1.Control seizures: Diazepam or Phenobarbital.
2.Monitor cardiac function and treat arrhythmias: -tachycardia: metoprolol (Dog: 0.5-1.0 mg/kg PO q 8h ; Cat: 12.5-25 mg/cat PO q8-12h). -bradycardia: atropine (0.02 - 0.04 mg/kg IV or IM) -Ventricular Extra Systolas: Lidocaine (1-2 mg/kg IV bolus followed by 25-75ug/kg/min IV infusion).
3.Induce Emesis (Apomorphine) / Gastric Lavage (within 4 hours, or longer if eaten with wrapping / Surgical Removal from the stomach.
4.Activated charcoal (1 to 4 g/kg PO with 1g/5ml H2O) q 4-12 hours (increases the enterohepatic excretion of toxins).
5.IV fluids: 2x the maintenance rate (induces the renal excretion of toxins).
6.Treatment can be necessary for > 72 hours due to a long half life of theobromine.

Literature:
-Pittinger S, Chocolate (Methylxanthine) Intoxication, HCVMA Newsletter, February 2002.
-Gwaltney-Brant S, Chocolate intoxication Veterinary Medicine 2001;96:108-111.
-Boothe DM, Small Animal Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company, 2001.

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