In a bid to keep pets safe this Christmas 2024, Regency Vets in Cheltenham has launched a helpful online tool designed to help dog owners assess the potential risk of chocolate consumption in their furriest family members.
Chocolate contains theobromine, a naturally occurring compound that is highly toxic to dogs — and depending on the size of the dog, even small amounts can lead to symptoms like vomiting or diarrhoea, with larger quantities even being life-threatening.
Not to fear though, Regency Vets is here! The Chocolate Toxicity Calculator can be found on the Regency Vets website and allows people to quickly evaluate whether their dog needs emergency medical attention after accidentally getting into the Quality Street tin.
Powered by emergency vet care provider, Vets Now, the calculator starts by giving options for dog size, ranging from toy breeds that weigh less than five kilograms to giant breeds weighing more than 40 kilograms.
Users then need to choose what type of chocolate was eaten and how much using a slider, with 'a little' classed as small, wrapped chocolates and 'lots' being a whole, 500g chocolate cake.
The calculator then shows a result depending on the options chosen and recommends seeking vet treatment or not — the widget also lists symptoms to look out for.
Gloucestershire residents can access the Chocolate Toxicity Calculator for free via the Regency Vets website at regencyvets.com/chocolate-calculator, to keep tails wagging this yuletide season.
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