Like everyone else at Easter time my thoughts go mainly to memories of chocolates devoured over the years as a child.                       To my amazement I have discovered there is not one single recorded medical case of people dying from chocolate. I've come close.    

There are unfortunately regular deaths of Dogs from Chocolate Toxicity. Chocolate contains Theobromine, a Methylxanthine compound which in large amounts can cause increased heart rates, cardiac arrhythmias, arrest and death.

White chocolate contains the least Theobromine, sweet chocolate a moderate amount and dark or cooking chocolate contains the most. The LD50 or dose at which 50% of dogs could die is around 20g of dark chocolate per kg. Dogs are more sensitive to the effects of this compound; their livers metabolize it slowly, converting it to other toxins and take a long time to clear from the body.

Obviously with the poisoning effect being weight related it’s the Toy Breed dogs that are most at risk. A 3 kg Chihuahua would only require one whole small 60g bar of dark chocolate to be at serious risk of collapse. A 40kg Labrador could probably still give 2 king size blocks a nudge, to get into difficulties, seemingly lacking the feedback switch which shuts off their ravenous appetite.

Humans are thought to be around 4 times less sensitive to its effects. This combined with much greater body weights, a reasonable appetite feedback loop and an added tolerance in coffee drinkers explains the lack of human deaths. I’d have to eat about 10kg of baking chocolate, even the thought of which is causing me stomach pains.

Any dog which has eaten a large amount of chocolate relative to its body weight needs immediate veterinary care. With so much chocolate hidden around our homes this weekend lets be extra careful to not let the pooches get their hungry little paws on it.

Easter Eggs are truly a hidden danger to our canine friends.