Don't Kill Your Dog with Chocolates This Christmas

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A record number of dogs could be killed this year by their owners feeding them chocolate, vets warned yesterday.

Many pet owners do not realise that chocolate is highly toxic to dogs.

But it contains theobromine, a naturally occurring stimulant found in the cocoa bean, which affects the central nervous system as well as the heart muscle.

Christmas is a peak time for potential poisonings because dogs steal chocolate ornaments from the tree, wolf down boxes of the treats or are fed by unsuspecting owners.

Humans, and cats, have the metabolism to cope with theobromine but dogs' digestive systems-cannot.

Symptoms include hyperactivity, agitation, breathlessness, vomiting, diarrhoea and increased urination.

The danger to the dog depends on its size and the type of chocolate.

Darker and more expensive chocolate contains higher levels of theobromine - the lethal dosage is between 250 and 500 milligrammes per kilogramme of body weight.

poisonings have,

been reported

after eating smaller amounts.