UK dog owners are being warned to keep Easter treats away from pets after figures released today from the British Veterinary Association (BVA) showed that over half of UK Vets (54%) had treated at least one case of chocolate poisoning over Easter 2014. Regionally, East Midlands saw the highest average number of cases, with Vets in the area seeing two cases of poisoning each on average.
Chocolate can be highly poisonous to pets, with dogs most commonly affected. Although awareness about chocolate poisoning is increasing amongst pet owners, the BVA figures show that the majority of Vets still see urgent cases because chocolate treats have not been secured out of reach.
Chocolate is toxic because it contains theobromine – the level of toxicity is dependent on the type of chocolate, dark chocolate and cocoas powder is most toxic, with smaller dogs and puppies being most at risk.
Vet John Blackwell, BVA President, said:
‘Easter should be a happy time for all the family including loved pets, and BVA urges pet owners to take precautions to ensure that their pet does not become one of the thousands of cases treated for accidental chocolate poisoning, which tragically can sometimes be fatal. The majority of the cases we see are because a pet has accidentally managed to get access to chocolate despite the owner’s best intentions.’
‘If you suspect that your dog has ingested chocolate don’t delay in contacting your vet. The quicker we can offer advice and treatment, the better. Vets will want to know how much chocolate your dog has eaten and what type. If possible keep any labels and have the weight of the dog to hand.’
Make sure you know how to contact your vet out of hours and over the bank holiday weekend when opening hours may be different. Use the RCVS’s ‘find a vet‘ online service to find a veterinary practice in an emergency.