Christmas is here and it's time to indulge in all the sugary indulgences. From plum cakes to candy canes to minced pie, Come Christmas and our hearts knows no joy! And why not? It's the time to feast till your heart's content. But this tummy full of treats may not be the best of news for your pet dogs. The delicious sweets in your house could wreak havoc on the health of your pets due to the risk of chocolate poisoning, that increases significantly around Christmas says a new study.
According to a latest study published in the journal Vet Record reveals that dogs are at a heightened risk of chocolate poisoning at this time of year. Researchers at the University of Liverpool were looking to see if chocolate poisoning followed any seasonal patterns. For the study, the team looked into the records from 229 U.K. veterinary practices between 2012 and 2017. The findings revealed that Christmas is when dogs are most at risk. The further mentioned that dogs are four times more likely to go to the vet due to chocolate exposure than at other times of year. And twice as likely during Easter. Halloween and Valentine's Day, didn't see similar spikes.
The scientists claimed that the Christmas and Easter peaks could be an offshoot of much more delicious and chocolatey desserts around, which could even prove toxic for your dog.
According to experts, chocolate is one of the worst foods one can feed the dogs. Chocolate contains the compound theobromine, which is not easily metabolized by dogs as it is by humans. The study said that while none of the dogs died due to the spiked rate of poisoning, they suffered vomiting and an increased heart rate. Some dogs also experienced neurological signs like anxiety and restlessness.
The scientists also said that the younger generation of children often sneak in these chocolates to their dogs, outside of the knowledge of the elders in the house. This could aggravate the chances of chocolate poisioning.
Dogs have a very sensitive metabolic and digestive system. They cant process or breakdown most of the foods we human eat. In addition to chocolates, dogs must be kept away from dairy, fried fatty meat, salty food, onion, garlic, avocado, grapes and raisins.