Awwww, your sweetheart just gifted you your favorite chocolate for Valentine’s Day! While this is fantastic for you (congratulations), this is not so great for your furry friend. Here’s more in-depth info on why it’s important to enforce the separation of chocolate and pets, and what to do if they get their paws on these sweets:

• Chocolate is high in fats, and also contains theobromine and caffeine which affect the heart, central nervous system and urination frequency.

• The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is for our furry friends. Please be careful with baking chocolate, as this poses the biggest risk.

• If your pet has ingested chocolate, monitor them for symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drinking, pacing, shaking and hyperactivity.

• We do offer drop-off emergency service for existing clients. If you’re bringing your pet in, please bring any chocolate packaging to help us understand what kind of chocolate it was and how much your pet has ingested.

• The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is also a valuable resource for chocolate consumption and other toxic scenarios. Their number is 888-426-4435.

While we’re not advocating for you to have a Valentine’s Day sans chocolate, we do want our clients to be safe and responsible during this time. Please always be aware of any chocolate that is left out and keep it in pet-safe containers or inaccessible drawers!

For more information on chocolate toxicity and pets, please contact us at 847-440-3087.