What Foods Are Poisonous To Cats And Dogs?

Chocolate

This is probably the most famous toxic food for dogs, but it is also quite harmful to cats. For both, the specific culprit is the methylxanthine stimulant known as theobromine, which is found at particularly high levels in dark and unsweetened baking chocolate. Ingesting theobromine will induce vomiting and diarrhea in dogs and cats and will lead to additional complications such as heart damage, high body temperature, tremors, seizures, and eventually death. Most cats will actively avoid sweet foods unless they are prompted by their owner to eat them; dogs, however, who are much more food-motivated, will likely eat them without any coaching. Because of the severity of poisoning, it is important to seek emergency veterinary care for your pet right away if they consume anything with chocolate in it. To treat your pet, the veterinarian will adopt a course of fluids, stomach pumping, and the administration of intravenous medications, including apomorphine to induce vomiting and activated charcoal to remove the toxins from your pet’s bloodstream.

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