Friday's Fact or Fiction: Chocolate and Chihuahuas

Chocolate is a very serious matter to me, and the richer, darker and nuttier the chocolate, the more serious I become. Life or death serious, no, maybe not for me but is eating chocolate a fatal mistake for dogs?  I have heard the precautions of dog owners when in the presence of chocolate, please don't let Smookems eat any of the chocolate he can get very sick, no chocolate for Rufflestiltkins, it may give her worms or even, chocolate will kill Yap if she has a bite of it. Are you sure?  How do you know this for a fact?

Here's a little info on the situation. Chocolate contains methylxanthines which includes caffeine and theobromine.  The consumption of small amounts of these chemicals can cause feelings of euphoria in humans (oh yeah!) and may cause vomiting or diarrhea in dogs. When large amounts of chocolate are consumed, the increased amounts of  caffeine or theobromine can cause some dogs to experience muscle tremors or possibly seizures.  The chemicals in chocolate can also cause a dog's heart to speed up to twice its normal rate and probably run around like a person in desperate need of a caffeine boost. 

The dog's reaction to the consumption of chocolate depends on the amount of chocolate ingested, the type of chocolate and the size of the dog according to the ASPCA Animal Control Poison Center. Holidays are often times of increased incidents of chocolate poisoning at the veterinarian's office, however, when necessary, with a treatment of activated charcoal to absorb the toxins, Rufflestiltkins will likely live to tell the story. 

Facts on chihuahuas? Check!  Chihuahuas are the smallest breed of dogs and were named after a state in Mexico. The average life expectancy of a chihuahua is 17 years. Most owners find their precious little Smookems to be very loving and protective of their owners yet feisty and ferocious when threatened. A rule of thumb, a chocolate colored chihuahua is darling, a chocolate bar and a chihuahua or other breed, is a danger.