For chocolate and treat lovers, Easter is a time of indulgence that can result in a few extra inches on the hips. However, even a small amount of treats to some cats and dogs can be devastating.

As well as a high fat content, chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine. These two stimulates, affect the central nervous system and the heart muscle, as well as urination frequency.

How much chocolate is toxic?

It depends on the type of chocolate and the weight of your pet. White chocolate has the least amount of stimulants and dark chocolate has the highest, of which cooking or baking chocolate will cause the most severe symptoms.

A lethal dose of theobromine is 80-200mg/kg, cooking or baking chocolate has 14.1mg/gram of theobromine, dark chocolate has 5.3mg/gram, milk chocolate has 1.4mg/gram, and white chocolate has very little real chocolate in it. A large amount of white chocolate will need to be consumed to cause toxic poison signs.

How long will it take before my pet shows the signs of chocolate poisoning?

Between 30 minutes to 3 hours.

What signs do I look out for?

If your 20kg dog gets his/her paws on a single chocolate-chip cookie, it probably won't cause him/her serious problems. However, if he/she gobbles up enough of your favourite chocolate treats he/she may develop symptoms such as:-