Newsgroup: it.discussioni.animali.cani
Titolo: Cioccolata o veleno?

Questo qui sotto è l'articolo che dette la stura ad una lunga disquisizione
sulla cioccolata nella Saluki-list.
Per chi ha pazienza di leggerla, io cercherò di tradurla quanto prima.
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Marilena
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A SWEET TOOTH FOR SUDDEN DEATH
Many people think of chocolate as the ultimate treat, but this
innocent, but fattening treat can be deadly for dogs. A lively Golden
Retriever, finding an open bog of chocolate morsels, wolfed them down as
fast as he could. His owner, thought little of the incident, and cleaned
up the mess left by his pet. That evening the dog collapsed and died.
What would cause a healthy dog to die so suddenly, a new canine  virus,
No, the ailment was a little known, but nonetheless deadly problem
called Chocolate Toxicosis, or chocolate poisoning. The  element in the
chocolate that is so deadly to dogs is a substance called Theobromide.
The size of the dog and the type of chocolate have a bearing on the
amount of `` GOODIE '' that will cause toxic results. So chocolate is
not a treat that pet owners should dole out to their unsuspecting but
loving canine friends.
Holidays are especially dangerous times, when  large quantities of candy
and other chocolate treats may be found in the home. Chocolate has a
tempting taste that pets and owners alike can  enjoy. Since our dogs are
often considered members of the family, it is natural to wish to share
our treats. But this is one treat that should be kept out of his or her
reach.
Dr. John Sullivan, a toxicologist at the University of Illinios
Veterinary Medical School, says the problem of toxicosis " can be
significant, especially during the holidays when people do a lot  of
baking with chocolate.
The unsweetened or baking chocolate is the most dangerous as it
contains the highest percentage of Theobromide per ounce; 400 MG. per
ounce as compared to 45 MG. per ounce in milk chocolate. Usually toxic
symptoms will occur when 100 MG. of Theobromide are ingested per
kilogram ( 2.2 pounds ) of animal's weight. So a 10 pound poodle can
succumb with the ingestion of just 1  ounce of baking chocolate.
The chart below shows the toxic amount of milk chocolate and  baking
chocolate for various weights of dogs. Although these show life-
threatening levels, ingestion of smaller amounts can cause  your pet to
experience considerable discomfort.
               Dangerous Quantities of Chocolate
Dog's            Amount of         Amount of        Approx.
Weight             Milk          Unsweetened         Mg. of
                Chocolate        Chocolate        Theobromide
5 lbs.            4 oz.             1/2 oz            200
10 lbs.           8 oz.               1 oz.           400
20 lbs.          16 oz.           2 1/2 oz.           900
30 lbs.        1 1/4 lbs.         3 3/4 oz.          1300
40 lbs.        3 1/2 lbs          4 1/2 oz.          1800
50 lbs.            3 lbs.         5 1/2 oz.          2250
60 lbs.        3 3/4 lbs.         6 3/4 oz           2700
70 lbs.        4 3/4 lbs.         8 1/2 oz.          3400
Chocolate cont.
The symptoms of Theobromide poisoning are numerous and they  appear
within a few hours or up to a day after the chocolate  ingestion.
Chocolate stays in the animal's stomach a long time. As the Theobromide
is absorbed into the bloodstream, the animal can exhibit the following
symptoms;
1) Vomiting                           5) Rapid breathing/heartbeat
2) Diarrhoea 6) Muscle tremors
3) Diuresis ( Urinary Incontinence )  7) Seizures
4) Hyperactivity                      8) Coma
There is no antidote for Theobromide poising. Treatment is  geared
toward supporting the animals basic life functions,  preventing further
absorption of the chocolate, hastening elimina- -tion, and treating the
symptoms. If less than 2 hours have passed since the ingestion, the
first step is to induce vomiting. This should get rid of 70% of the
stomach's contents. The Chocolate can  melt and form a ball in the
stomach, which can be  difficult to remove.
If the dog has eaten an amount that can be toxic ( see chart ) it is
not enough to just induce vomiting. The animal should be  placed under
the care of a veterinarian until the danger is  passed. The vet will
give the dog repeated doses of activated  charcoal to move the poison
through the system faster and with  less absorption. The vital signs (
heart rate and respiration ) must be carefully monitored during this
treatment.
The best treatment is prevention of the accidental ingestion. Keep
your dog out of danger by;
1) Never leave chocolate unattended within easy reach of your pet.
2) Never feed chocolate candy as a treat.
3) Never assume an animal is fine if it vomits after eating
chocolate.
Chocolate toxicosis is a killer, but it is a killer that can be
prevented from killing. If you think your dog has ingested a  dangerous
amount of chocolate, consult a veterinarian at once.

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