Nothing gives more satisfaction than rewarding our dogs when they do something right. Whether its mastering a new trick or simply giving us unconditional love, we want to treat them to something delicious. Its important to remember though, that one of the most delicious things we love, chocolate, is dangerous to our pets.
We love our pets. And they love us. But we must be careful that we treat them to the best there is . . . not to what would be best for us. We have a lot in common with our doggies, but we cannot forget that they are a different species.
Chocolate is not great for our own health, but for our best friends’ health, it can be detrimental!
Theobromine is a main ingredient in chocolate and it can be fatal to our dogs. The following article from healthy pet . com explains why the theobromine is so unhealthy to our pets.
Give chocolate to loved ones, and you could end up poisoning them. That is, if the loved ones are your pets.
Even small amounts of theobromine, an ingredient in chocolate, can cause vomiting and restlessness in pets. Larger doses can be fatal. While most pet owners expect a dog to develop an upset stomach after eating a large amount of chocolate, few realize its toxic potential.
The lethal dose of theobromine depends on the size of the dog and the type of chocolate. Ounce for ounce, baking chocolate has six to nine times as much of the substance as milk chocolate does.
Estimates of the smallest amounts that can be fatal are:
4 to 10 ounces of milk chocolate or 1/2 to 1 ounce of baking chocolate for small dogs, such as Chihuahuas and toy poodles.
1 to 1 1/2 pounds of milk chocolate or 2 to 3 ounces of baking chocolate for medium-sized dogs, like cocker spaniels and dachshunds.
2 to 4 1/2 pounds of milk chocolate or 4 to 8 ounces of baking chocolate for large dogs, including collies and Labrador retrievers.
Cats have much different eating habits and seldom are poisoned by chocolate.
While a very small amount of chocolate may not harm some dogs, it’s safest to avoid giving it to them at all. If an accident occurs, a veterinarian should be consulted. Treatment may require inducing vomiting, stabilizing the animal’s heartbeat and respiration, controlling seizures and slowing the absorption of theobromine. If the animal already is comatose, its stomach may need to be pumped.”
Source: healthypet.com
There are lots of other options for giving our dogs delicious treats. They should not have human chocolate, but there are lots of treats available that are human-grade and delicious to our canine friends.
Dogs require protein, and because protein can’t be stored in their body, they need a new supply every day. Chicken is an ideal source of protein because it is lower in calories, fats and saturated fats than most other meats.
Chicken is extremely dense in nutrients, including protein, zinc, iron, phosphorous, riboflavin, thiamin and niacin.
Chicken contains significant quantities of many minerals, including iron, zinc, magnesium and phosphorous.
Duck is a great treat for dogs because it offers an alternative protein source and has the same healthy properties as chicken; therefore, it is great for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Our duck treats are highly palatable and easy to digest.
Try one of these dog treats