Refer a friend & earn £30 - Click here to find out more.
To keep our pets enjoying a healthy, happy, active summer, there are a few things to look out for which may help to avoid unnecessary harm from some of nature’s more toxic by-products.
Reviewed by Olivia Stofbergh – RVN
Published: 26 October 2026
Chocolate is a popular tasty treat for us humans, particularly at certain times of the year such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter and Halloween. Unfortunately, these are also common times of the year where we see an increase in pets being brought into practice suffering from chocolate toxicity.
Chocolate often contains ingredients such as theobromine and caffeine. These ingredients are toxic to pets and they’re found in the highest concentrations in dark chocolate and baking chocolate. However, no chocolate is safe for pets – even white or milk chocolate.
Signs to look out for include:
• Sickness and diarrhoea • Restlessness • Frequent urination
In severe cases, this can progress to an irregular heart rhythm, seizures, internal bleeding and even death.
If you know your pet has consumed chocolate, this should be treated as a medical emergency and you should take them to your local veterinary practice immediately.
The treatment offered to your pet will depend on how much time has passed since they consumed the chocolate. Vomiting may be induced to help remove the chocolate from their system. Liquid activated charcoal can be given to reduce the absorption of theobromine from the intestines into your pet’s bloodstream.
It’s likely your pet will need to stay at the veterinary practice for ongoing observation to ensure they’re making a good recovery.
Stored safely
Keep chocolate stored safely away where pets can’t reach it
Don’t leave your pet unattended
If you’re eating chocolate, don’t leave your pet unattended, i.e. leaving a box of chocolates on the coffee table while you leave the room
Teach your dog the ‘leave’ command
Teach your dog the ‘leave’ command so you can quickly intervene if you see them going to eat chocolate
Reviewed by: Meg Marriot RVN
Throughout the year, we all enjoy seasonal foods and it’s tempting to perhaps offer a little titbit to our furry companion. But beware the seasonal (and non-seasonal) goodies that can cause no end of harm to our beloved pets.
Reviewed by: Kerry Fowler – RVN
At The Pet Vet, sadly we see a number of puppies coming in having chewed something or eaten something they shouldn’t have. It’s completely normal behaviour for a puppy to chew but this is where training is particularly important to help prevent any nasty accidents.
Cats are pretty much meat eaters, but they can be very fussy about their food and that could be for many reasons. It could be its smell, or it could even be the type of bowl you have chosen. As a cat owner you might understand more about why your cat could be fussy by reading this blog post.
