Keep dogs away from chocolate, vets warn

Ireland’s vets are anticipating one of their busiest weekends of the year, fearing hundreds of family pets will be poisoned by Easter eggs.

As just one bar of chocolate or half an Easter egg can be fatal for a small dog, vets across the country are on high alert over the bank holiday weekend.

Bray-based veterinary surgeon Pete Wedderburn said most pet owners are aware of the health dangers of giving their dogs chocolate. However, he warned families to keep Easter eggs locked away to prevent dogs from gorging themselves to death.

“A lot of people know not to give their dogs treats, but the real message I want to get out is that’s not the real danger.

“The big danger is when dogs find a chocolate stash of some kind. They can smell chocolate through the wrappers.

“Chocolate is so dangerous, it does kill them. Just one bar of milk chocolate or half an Easter egg is enough to poison a small dog.”

Mr Wedderburn warned that the darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is, with just half a bar of plain chocolate, weighing 50g, enough to kill a small dog.

“Every year I see dogs dying of chocolate poisoning. There’s a chemical in chocolate which makes a dog’s heart go wonky.”

He also advised pet owners intent on spoiling their animals to buy special dog treats from the local pet shop. “The main thing is that dogs do not have an off-switch. They carry on eating until all the chocolate’s gone. Keep chocolate away from dogs. [The deaths] are so preventable. That’s what makes it doubly upsetting.”