The Connection Bernards-Ridge Edition April/May 2018

PAGE 68 THE BERNARDS-RIDGE CONNECTION APRIL/MAY 2018 20 Years Emergency Veterinary Medicine Behind Us. ANIMAL PAWS BONDED & INSURED Nominated by National Animal Pet Sitting Association for 2015 for one of the Best Pet Sitting Services in the Nation. PETS ENJOY BEING HOME! Pet Sitting, LLC 18 Years of Loving Professional Pet Sitting Experience email: michele@animalpaws.net animalpaws.net Cell 908-963-0311 Vacations, daily dog walking, overnight stays, client education on animal care. We do transportation, give insulin injections, SQ fluids, dog hikes. Visit our Connection On-Line ad to view our video The CONNECTIONS Please call for FREE consultation. Last minute bookings for existing clients. (no late fee) Stop looking for love in all the wrong places – Start in the right place where other singles just like you have found the love of their life, and countless others are waiting to meet you. C ALLING A LL S INGLES ... DON’T LEAVE ROMANCE TO CHANCE ...Because two is always better than one CALL TODAY 1-888-417-0020 OR LOG-ON TO: www.NewJerseySingles.com Bridgewater • Colts Neck • Saddlebrook • Princeton Let’s face it. Most people tend to have a little chocolate tucked somewhere around the house. What many people don’t realize is that if their pup gets his paws on this rich treat it can trigger a number of toxic reactions includ- ing possible death. “Approximately 97% of the cases involving choco- late toxicity are associated with dogs,” says Dr. Justine Lee, associate director of veterinary services and emergency critical care specialist at Pet Poison Helpline, as “cats have a much more discrimi- nating non-chocolate palate.” Whether you live in a dog or cat household, it’s important to lock up chocolate safely in secured kitchen cabinets. This includes Hal- loween and Easter candy, along with less obvi- ous sources like chocolate-flavored chewable, daily vitamins. When baking, make sure to keep chocolate chips and baking ingredients out of reach until immediate use; once you’re done making the treats, store them safely out of reach (like hidden away in the microwave). Prevention is always key when it comes to tasty chocolate! Level of Toxicity Different types of chocolate contain various levels of fat, caffeine and the substances methylxanthines. In general, the darker and richer the chocolate (i.e., baker’s chocolate), the higher the risk of toxicity. Depending on the type and amount of chocolate ingested, dogs might experience vomiting, diarrhea, uri- nation, hyperactivity, heart arrhythmias, tremors and seizures. Dark chocolate is about 10 times as toxic as milk chocolate. Death is actually very rare, only occurring in about 1 in every 3,000 chocolate intoxication cases. Small dogs or dogs with a history of diabetes, pancreatitis, or heart problems are typically more sensitive to chocolate than large, healthy dogs. Dark chocolate is about 10 times as toxic as milk chocolate. To understand various levels of chocolate intoxication, here are some simple guidelines: • White chocolate: Not necessarily toxic but high sugar and fat contents can lead to vomiting and other illnesses like pancreati- tis. • Milk chocolate: Low levels of intoxication. • Baking chocolate and dark chocolate: High levels of intoxication. Keep in mind that there are many things other than simply Hersey Kisses and big old chocolate bars that contain methylxan- thines. Chocolate cake, fudge, brownies, cocoa powder, cocoa beans and even caffeine pills such as NoDoz can make dogs sick. (If your pup wolfs down one chocolate chip cookie, don’t worry – it should- n’t cause a problem – the amount of real chocolate in just one is minimal. Chocolate Emergency Lee recommends that when a dog ingests chocolate, owners should immediately call a veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline’s 24-hour Animal Poison Control at 1-800-213-6680. “We can help guide owners in calculating just how much methylxanthine is ingested, and whether or not the amount will affect their pet.” Depending on the severity of the situation, a pet owner might be instructed to induce vomiting at home or rush the dog to the clinic for activated charcoal treatment to absorb the toxins. In non-life threatening circumstances, veteri- narians might just tell owners what to expect (i.e., chocolate diarrhea, vomiting) and to keep an eye on the pet while the sickness passes. If you suspect your pet of eating chocolate please call your veterinarian. He or she will advise the right thing to do! So remember try to keep chocolate away and out of sight from them. So they can enjoy their lives with us. Warm weather is coming. One of my client’s babies got into chocolate on Valentine’s Day so I thought I would write about it to alert all of you with pets. Enjoy the warmer weather! DOGS AND CHOCOLATE An Indulgence to Humans, Toxic to Dogs By: Michele Patanio, Animal Paws Pet Sitting LLC 908-963-0311 animalpaws.net www.theconnectionsnj.com