interesting article from "newscientist"

interesting article from "newscientist" - does it also apply to Cats?


Question
I have read that dogs should not be fed chocolate because it is
poisonous to them. Is this correct, and if so, what are the differences
between canine and human digestive processes? And what are the
chocolate drops that you can buy for dogs really made of?

N=2E McDonnell , Ightham, Kent, UK

Answer
It is true that chocolate is poisonous to dogs. The problem is that
chocolate contains cocoa, which in turn contains methylxanthines. These
chemicals, which act on blood vessels, include theobromine,
theophylline and caffeine. They are responsible for the "kick" we get
from coffee, tea and chocolate.

The reason why dogs react differently to chocolate lies in their liver
enzymes. In dogs, breakdown of the methylxanthines takes a long time.
For example, theobromine takes about four days to be cleared from a
dog's system. It affects the heart, central nervous system and kidneys,
and even a small dose can kill a dog in as little as six hours. The
amount of chocolate that proves toxic varies, depending on the amount
of cocoa used in the recipe, as well as variations in individual dogs
themselves.

Many fatalities have been reported following ingestion of as little as
5 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. Medical records show that two
English bulldogs died after eating about 25 grams of dark chocolate
each, and a springer spaniel died after eating around a kilogram of
milk chocolate. Others have died after eating cooking chocolate, cocoa
powder and cocoa-based garden mulch =AD as single doses or repeated
exposure to smaller doses.

The only safe option is not to give human chocolate to dogs. Doggy
chocs are available in pet shops, marketed as "chocolate substitutes"
that are safe for dogs. They contain either no cocoa, or very little.
Check the ingredients with care; if you would prefer to give your pet
no cocoa, choose one of the many cocoa-free options. After all, dogs
are carnivores and there isn't any chocolate in the average carcass.

stuart wrote:

interesting article from "newscientist" - does it also apply to Cats?

Cats are not *as* sensitive to chocolate as dogs are, but it's still not
good for them.

The big NONO for cats is onions.


Question
I have read that dogs should not be fed chocolate because it is
poisonous to them. Is this correct, and if so, what are the differences
between canine and human digestive processes? And what are the
chocolate drops that you can buy for dogs really made of?

N. McDonnell , Ightham, Kent, UK

Answer
It is true that chocolate is poisonous to dogs.

Priscilla

"stuart" wrote in news:1102621624.111466.107150
@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com:

interesting article from "newscientist" - does it also apply to Cats?


Yes, I have always heard that cats shouldn't eat chocolate either. Nickleby
was so spoiled that I never even *bought* chocolate ice cream while he was
alive, because I couldn't bear not to share it with him -- he loved ice
cream.

--Catherine
& Rosalie the calicohead

ceb wrote:

"stuart" wrote in news:1102621624.111466.107150
:

interesting article from "newscientist" - does it also apply to Cats?


Yes, I have always heard that cats shouldn't eat chocolate either. Nickleby
was so spoiled that I never even *bought* chocolate ice cream while he was
alive, because I couldn't bear not to share it with him -- he loved ice
cream.

I recall that a vet posted on one of these boards a few years ago that there
isn't enough chocolate in an entire gallon of chocolate ice cream to be toxic
to a cat. A teaspoonful won't hurt.

Toxicity depends largely on the amount of theobromine in the chocolate. The
highest amount is in baker's chocolate, which I very much doubt any cat would
eat--much too bitter. Dark chocolate is next, and the least amount is in milk
chocolate. And of course, many products labeled chocolate flavor have no
chocolate at all.

That said, I don't think most cats actually have a taste for chocolate, so if
I'm offering a taste of ice cream to our cats, it's usually the vanilla they
like best anyway.

"Priscilla H. Ballou" wrote:

stuart wrote:

interesting article from "newscientist" - does it also apply to Cats?

Cats are not *as* sensitive to chocolate as dogs are, but it's still not
good for them.

The big NONO for cats is onions.

So *that's why* Frank gets all squinty eyed and can't leave the room
fast enough when I'm cutting onions. I can't imagine him every getting
close enough to an onion to ingest one at least.




Question
I have read that dogs should not be fed chocolate because it is
poisonous to them. Is this correct, and if so, what are the differences
between canine and human digestive processes? And what are the
chocolate drops that you can buy for dogs really made of?

N. McDonnell , Ightham, Kent, UK

Answer
It is true that chocolate is poisonous to dogs.

Priscilla

Yngver wrote:

ceb wrote:

"stuart" wrote in news:1102621624.111466.107150
:

interesting article from "newscientist" - does it also apply to Cats?


Yes, I have always heard that cats shouldn't eat chocolate either. Nickleby
was so spoiled that I never even *bought* chocolate ice cream while he was
alive, because I couldn't bear not to share it with him -- he loved ice
cream.

I recall that a vet posted on one of these boards a few years ago that there
isn't enough chocolate in an entire gallon of chocolate ice cream to be toxic
to a cat. A teaspoonful won't hurt.

Toxicity depends largely on the amount of theobromine in the chocolate. The
highest amount is in baker's chocolate, which I very much doubt any cat would
eat--much too bitter. Dark chocolate is next, and the least amount is in milk
chocolate. And of course, many products labeled chocolate flavor have no
chocolate at all.

That said, I don't think most cats actually have a taste for chocolate, so if
I'm offering a taste of ice cream to our cats, it's usually the vanilla they
like best anyway.

And there's not enough dairy product in ice cream to cause any lactose
intolerance?

In article ,
I Lurk Alone wrote:

So *that's why* Frank gets all squinty eyed and can't leave the room
fast enough when I'm cutting onions. I can't imagine him every getting
close enough to an onion to ingest one at least.

Heck, I get all squinty-eyed when I cut onions! I wouldn't expect a cat
to eat an onion, but.... stew, spaghetti sauce, and so on all contain
onion and can do damage.

Priscilla

--
Sacred cows make the best burgers.

Priscilla Ballou wrote:

In article ,
I Lurk Alone wrote:

So *that's why* Frank gets all squinty eyed and can't leave the room
fast enough when I'm cutting onions. I can't imagine him every getting
close enough to an onion to ingest one at least.

Heck, I get all squinty-eyed when I cut onions! I wouldn't expect a cat
to eat an onion, but.... stew, spaghetti sauce, and so on all contain
onion and can do damage.

Priscilla

--
Sacred cows make the best burgers.

Even on the other side of our fairly large kitchen, Frank finds it all
too much to bear. I never knew that onions as a component of stew,
chili, etc. could be anemia-inducing in cats and dogs. We don't let him
eat human food, but he's been known to lick a pot or too when our guard
is down. Thank goodness for this NG which is a very valuable resource.

Dave

That said, I don't think most cats actually have a taste for chocolate, so
if
I'm offering a taste of ice cream to our cats, it's usually the vanilla
they
like best anyway.

And there's not enough dairy product in ice cream to cause any lactose
intolerance?

I've never had a cat that was lactose intolerant. I realize some cats are, but
ours are not.

On 2004-12-11, Meghan Noecker penned:

I would be much more careful with the dogs, since a dog would actually eat a
candy bar, and that would be a higher level of actual chocolate. One
probably wouldn't cause permanent damage, but I wouldn't make it a habit of
it.


My German grandmother gives her poodle chocolate, as she has done with the
last three dogs she's owned. Of course, when I try to tell her that chocolate
is no good for dogs, I get the "Oh, please" response followed by the "one of
my poodles lived to be 20" story.

Me, I keep dogs away from chocolate. I remember how disappointed our mail
lady was when I told her she couldn't give my dog leftover chocolate cake.

--
monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH
with an attitude!