Dakota Bison/Ocean Blue Reported Issues

Timberwolf Organics Customer,

Due to recent reports from some customers, we have ordered that two formulas from three specific dates be pulled from the shelves. These are:

Dakota Bison with ‘best by date’ of 12 Feb 2009
Ocean Blue with ‘best by date’ of 20 Feb 2009
Ocean Blue with best by date’ of 8 March 2009

The reported symptoms include dogs refusing to eat, diarrhea or vomiting. While the problem is inconsistent (not every dog eating food from those dates/bag show the symptoms and not every bag), to err on the side of caution have decided to pull the formulas produced with the above dates. Initial testing has come back negative for problems and further testing is pending results.

As soon as the cause of this reported problem is determined procedures will be put into place to ensure that an event like this cannot happen again. Please be assured that no other formulas and Ocean Blue and Dakota Bison with dates other than ones listed above are not affected.

We apologize for any inconvenience or problems that this may have resulted in. If you do have a bag with those dates please contact the retailer you purchased it from for an exchange or credit. If you purchased it directly from us please give us a call or email us at customer.support@timberwolforganics.com, or you can download the Customer Complaint Form below and fax it to 866.796.8814.

Thank you for choosing Timberwolf Organics.

Sincerely,

Timberwolf Organics Team

One thing that I can tell you, since I’ve had my Jezzie and Bruti on a combination raw/home-cooked diet, they are now in the best health they’ve ever been in. They’ve shed those few extra pounds, their skin and coats are wonderful, their energy level is high, much fewer allergies and ear infections, fresher breath, clean teeth. No, it’s not a cure all, but it has made an amazing difference.

Myth: DOGS ARE OMNIVORES

This is false. Dogs are carnivores, not omnivores. Dogs ARE very adaptable, but just because they can survive on an omnivorous diet does not mean it is the best diet for them. The assumption that dogs are natural omnivores remains to be proven, whereas the truth about dogs being natural carnivores is very well-supported by the evidence available to us.

1.) Dentition

Look into your dog or cat’s mouth. Those huge impressive teeth (or tiny needle sharp teeth) are designed for grabbing, ripping, tearing, shredding, and shearing meat (Feldhamer, G.A. 1999. Mammology: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology. McGraw-Hill. pg 258.). They are not equipped with large flat molars for grinding up plant matter. Their molars are pointed and situated in a scissors bite (along with the rest of their teeth) that powerfully disposes of meat, bone, and hide. Carnivores are equipped with a peculiar set of teeth that includes the presence of carnassial teeth: the fourth upper premolar and first lower molar.

This is the skull of a weasel (also in Order Carnivora), courtesy of Centennial Museum. The carnassial teeth are marked with black arrows. You can find these same teeth in the mouth of your dog or cat or ferret.

Contrast this with your own teeth or the teeth of a black bear. A black bear is a true omnivore, as are we. We have nice, large, flat molars that can grind up veggies. Black bears, while having impressive canine teeth, also have large flat molars in the back of their mouth to assist in grinding up plant matter. Dogs and most canids lack these kinds of molars. Why? Because they don’t eat plant matter. Teeth are highly specialized and are structured specifically for the diet the animal eats, and the difference between a bear’s teeth and a dog’s teeth (both species are in Order Carnivora) demonstrates how this can be (Feldhamer, G.A. 1999. Mammology: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology. McGraw-Hill. pgs 260.). To see a visual comparison of the teeth of a dog to the teeth of a black bear, please click here. One can logically ask: If a dog (or cat or ferret) has the dentition of a carnivorous animal, why do we feed it pelleted, grain-based food?

2.) Musculature and external anatomy

Dogs (and cats) are equipped with powerful jaw muscles and neck muscles that assist in pulling down prey and chewing meat, bone, and hide. Their jaws hinge open widely, allowing them to gulp large chunks of meat and bone. Their skulls are heavy, and are shaped to prevent lateral movement of the lower jaw when captured prey struggles (the mandibular fossa is deep and C-shaped); this shape permits only an up-and-down crushing motion, whereas herbivores and omnivores have flatter mandibular fossa that allows for the lateral motion necessary to grind plant matter (Feldhamer, G.A. 1999. Mammology: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology. McGraw-Hill. pgs 258-259.). Consider this quote from the previously-cited Mammology text:

“Canids, felids, and mustelids subsist mainly on freshly killed prey. These families show correspondingly greater development in ‘tooth and claw’; they also have greater carnassial development and cursorial locomotion.” (pg 260)

This translates to a simple fact: everything about a dog or cat’s body design says they were designed for a carnivorous, hunting lifestyle geared toward killing prey. However, humans have done some major tinkering with this body design (resulting in varying sizes and conformations), but we have done nothing to change the internal anatomy and physiology of our carnivorous canines.

3.) Internal anatomy and physiology

Dogs and cats have the internal anatomy and physiology of a carnivore (Feldhamer, G.A. 1999. Mammology: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology. McGraw-Hill. pg 260.). They have a highly elastic stomach designed to hold large quantities of meat, bone, organs, and hide. Their stomachs are simple, with an undeveloped caecum (Feldhamer, G.A. 1999. Mammology: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology. McGraw-Hill. pg 260.). They have a relatively short foregut and a short, smooth, unsacculated colon. This means food passes through quickly. Vegetable and plant matter, however, needs time to sit and ferment. This equates to longer, sacculated colons, larger and longer small intestines, and occasionally the presence of a caecum. Dogs have none of these, but have the shorter foregut and hindgut consistent with carnivorous animals. This explains why plant matter comes out the same way it came in; there was no time for it to be broken down and digested (among other things). People know this; this is why they tell you that vegetables and grains have to be preprocessed for your dog to get anything out of them. But even then, feeding vegetables and grains to a carnivorous animal is a questionable practice.

Dogs do not normally produce the necessary enzymes in their saliva (amylase, for example) to start the break-down of carbohydrates and starches; amylase in saliva is something omnivorous and herbivorous animals possess, but not carnivorous animals. This places the burden entirely on the pancreas, forcing it to produce large amounts of amylase to deal with the starch, cellulose, and carbohydrates in plant matter. Thus, feeding dogs as though they were omnivores taxes the pancreas and places extra strain on it, as it must work harder for the dog to digest the starchy, carbohydrate-filled food instead of just producing normal amounts of the enzymes needed to digest proteins and fats (which, when fed raw, begin to “self-digest” when the cells are crushed through chewing and tearing and their enzymes are released).

Nor do dogs have the kinds of friendly bacteria that break down cellulose and starch for them. As a result, most of the nutrients contained in plant matter “even preprocessed plant matter”are unavailable to dogs. This is why dog food manufacturers have to add such high amounts of synthetic vitamins and minerals (the fact that cooking destroys all the vitamins and minerals and thus creates the need for supplementation aside) to their dog foods. If a dog can only digest 40-60% of its grain-based food, then it will only be receiving 40-60% (ideally!) of the vitamins and minerals it needs. To compensate for this, the manufacturer must add a higher concentration of vitamins and minerals than the dog actually needs.

Is the dog an omnivore? Its dentition, internal and external anatomy, and physiology say it is not. Even its evolutionary history says the dog is a carnivore. So when people tell you the dog is an omnivore, ask: “What about this animal makes you think it is an omnivore?” Make them explain their position to you before you explain yours.

About the Author

This incredibly well researched and well written article comes from Rawfed.com - Myths of Rawfeeding. Carissa, the writer, originally trained to become a vet before deciding to turn her talents to teaching, she has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology and Biology, with a concentration in Anatomy and Physiology. During her time at CSU, she worked for 4 years in the Clinical Sciences Department of the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital before deciding that she would be much happier as a high school science teacher instead of a veterinarian. Her ‘Myth’ pages are the result of nearly four years labor and research.

The story I came across talks about a family who was told that their sweet greyhound had osteosarcoma after having a blood clot between two of his vertebrae that was pressing against his spine removed. The vet originally told them that there was a 90 percent chance that it was nothing but took the precaution of sending it off for a biopsy.

When they returned to pick up their dog, the vet told them that the biopsy, verified by two pathologists, showed osteosarcoma, a painful and aggressive form of bone cancer. He recommended that they have their dog euthanized within days to save him the pain he would go through with this.

Their beloved dog was then brought in out to them, hobbling and in obvious pain, his pace quickened when he saw them and he bathed their tearful faces with kisses. After a couple of heart wrenching days, they decided to follow the vet’s advise and have their baby put down to save him the agony and pain they were told he would soon be experiencing.

The day before they were due to take him in, they thought he seemed to be recovering and doing better and decided to get a second opinion. They took him to a leading expert in greyhound medicine. The doctor, after reviewing his file and examining the dog, found that the biopsy had been misread and there was no cancer.

Month later their dog is fully recovered and doing great and if they hadn’t the presence of mind to get a second opinion they would never had known the error and they would have lost their dog.

How scary and horrifying!!

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, more than 63 percent of U.S. households have pets; this includes some 73 million dogs and 90 million cats. Americans spend a fortune on their pets, over $40 billion in 2007 alone, of which more than $9 billion was for veterinary care. And yet, do people know what they are buying?

It’s well known that there are medical errors in human medicine. In a 2005 study, it was shown the 34% of people in the US have reported experiencing various preventable errors. Almost 200,000 people a year die from likely in-hospital medical errors. With statistics like this, can you even imagine what the statistics are in veterinary medicine? Our pets cannot speak for themselves and they rely on us to take care of them.

If you ever have any questions or concerns about a diagnosis, most especially a serious one, do not hesitate to get a second opinion. Just like in human medicine, veterinarians and labs make mistakes.

So what can you do to give your puppy’s immune system a boost to help enable them to protect their selves?

1. Have them on a Premium Quality Diet. You can find a detailed list of these the The Online Vet.

2. De-Worm them all- ensure they are NOT fighting anything else.

3. Get them ALL vaccinated for Parvovirus.

4. FATTY ACIDS ARE ESSENTIAL. Omega 3 fatty acids are great anti-inflammatories and immune boosters. Flax is the best source for dogs: the dose is 1tsp per cup of dog food. For cats, the liquid form is the only option, and they should receive 500mg twice daily of Salmon oil or a supplement such as EFA Caps purchased from your veterinarian.

5. HERBAL HELP. Herbs can help strengthen the immune system. GREEN TEA (CAMELLIA) stimulates the immune system. ESSIAC TEA contains a combination of herbs which are immune stimulating. GARLIC has antioxidant and immune-enhancing properties. It is best used in conjunction with other antioxidants. When given at high doses it can cause anemia in your pet, so it is best used under the supervision of your veterinarian.

6. TRANSFER FACTOR. Transfer factors are tiny molecules that are able to convey immunity information from one entity to another to educate naive cells about a present or potential danger along with a plan for action. Although the mostly notable function of these smart molecules is to speed up the recognition phase of an infection making the duration of an illness much shorter, transfer factors also have the ability to suppress an over active immune system. All said, transfer factors have the ability to balance out the function of your immune system, whether it needs to increase in function or be reduced in the case of auto-immune disorders.

Dr. Andrew Jones is a veterinarian that combines conventional veterinary medicine with holistic and natural health to give your pets the best of it all, healthwise. His book, Veterinary Secrets Revealed, is a virtual encyclopedia to medicine that arms you with the knowledge to be able to diagnose and treat your pet at home for many ills that you really don’t need to run to a vet for and spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars. Do yourself, and your pet a favor, check it out! Veterinary Secrets Revealed! Your pet, and your wallet will thank you.

I want to share something with everyone, not to cause panic or anything, but because this is something everyone with dogs/who deals with dogs needs to know. Last month, one of my dogs, Rosey (small Beagle), tested positive for heartworm. I was absolutely floored. Of COURSE I have all my dogs on preventative. I am religious about it. How could Rosey have gotten heartworms???? The vet suggested that, because I was giving her the “0-to-25 pound” dosage (she is 25 pounds), that perhaps she should have been getting the “25-to-50 pound” dosage. Hmmm… ok.

Then he shared with me that there is a growing concern in the vet community that there is now a strain of heartworm in the Gulf region that has become resistant to Ivermectin. My heart sank. Really? He assured me they were questioning the makers of the preventatives…..

Well, yesterday, Satchmo, one of my Bassets, went for his annual…. And guess what…. he tested positive for heartworm. He is 58 pounds and takes the “50-to-100 pound” dose ­ no under-dosing there!

My vet) and I talked for a long time. There is indeed apparently now a strain of heartworm that is resistant to Ivermectin, they are thinking. They suspect it is related to the effects of Katrina. She said more and more dogs in the Gulf area are testing positive…. Dogs who are ON preventative, regularly, religiously, like mine. I’m so upset, I can’t even think.

Now, it’s not every dog, of course. She said many are testing negative, as expected. But I know, in my house, 2 of 6 dogs have been infected, while on preventative.

I give Iverheart, which is the same as HeartGuard, and like HeartGuard, they have a guarantee that they will pay “reasonable” charges for treatment if a dog gets heartworm while taking their product. So I will pursue that. I just finished paying for Rosey’s hw treatment, but that’s a separate issue - cost.

The most most most distressing thing is that our dogs are not protected!

I would suggest that if you live in the Louisiana/Mississippi area, you get your dogs tested. And that the manufacturers of HeartGuard and Ivermectin be held to the task of finding out why their products are failing….. and what are they doing about it.

And for all the rescues? I have no idea what we are going to do in that situation. I know the no-kill shelter that I am associated with here in Lafayette houses over 70 dogs. All on Ivermectin.

IMPORTANT: just giving Ivermectin (preventative in some form) to treat heartworms, as some rescues do, will obviously not be an option anymore.

The preventative is not even PREVENTING; there is no way it will actually KILL heartworms. And until they figure out what’s going on…

Update: I did speak with the Ivahart people today. They want 2 years documentation that I’ve been giving Satchmo Ivahart. I told them they have to get that from my vet. She said she would call her. We’ll see… My vet had already placed a call to them, and the Ivahart lady was aware of that. I suggested she call my vet right away.

Oh, the Ivahart person acknowledged that they are aware of the problem, FOR OVER A YEAR!!!!

I just received this product alert and wanted to pass the info along ASAP. It was sent to me by a trusted friend and vet. This happened to a friend of hers. The vet said one of the most surprising things is that Fort Dodge is actually paying the med bills without a fight as in the past dealings she’s had with them, they are not so agreeable. That in itself makes me extremely wary of the product.

This is a very important message to my family & friends who have dogs-cats–and to alert you to the hazard of using a new Flea & Tick Preventative called ProMeris.

This is a new product designed to be a more effective product than other flea/tick treatments that was just released this year. It is available thru a vet and not currently on-line. I got ProMeris this week for my 7 dogs (6 Huskies & 1 Golden-Airedale), and the results were debilitating for nearly all of them-including me. Since my incident this week, my vet has pulled it from distribution and alerted the manufacturer, Fort Dodge.

Here are my results: Within less than 2 hours after applying, 4 of my dogs had vomited from 2-4 times, 3 were disoriented and stumbling, 1 was dragging his back leg, 1 was salivating. I had very similar symptoms like an allergic reaction-my lips were swollen, eyes very red, mucous membranes such as eyes, nose, and mouth were stinging. I was very disoriented-dizzy equilibrium and not able to drive. To make this a short story-all 7 of my dogs were admitted to the hospital for veterinarian care, and 3 of them remained for care, IV fluids and observation for 24 hours. I was in the emergency room. I’m home now and so are the dogs. We’re all feeling much better.

Vet bills were over $2,500 and Fort Dodge is paying for these. Not only can the product cause this reaction, it has a highly noxious odor that permeated the house and is just starting to dissipate after 3 days.

Your dogs/cats might not have the same reaction, but given my experience-I wanted to help you all become well-educated about the product

UPDATE - I’ve received a second warning on this product as well. Looks like something we should really be wary of!

My vet has discontinued the use of FrontLine Plus thinking that it is loosing it’s effectiveness with dogs who have used it for a long period of time. He now recommends Premerius. I tried a dose on one of my dogs and the smell was over powering. Poor Rowdy ran outside and was rolling on his back trying to get rid of the smell. He usually sleeps with me and whenever he was near, I developed a tremendous headache. Rowdy acted drained of energy and had fitful sleep for a couple of nights.

I will not use this product on the rest of my dogs and never again with Rowdy. I’ll go back to the Frontline Plus that has been very effective and non threatening to my fur-kids.

Now we know that some breeds tend to be categorized as smarter than others and some fall further to the bottom of the ’smart list.’ Dogs such as German Shepherds, poodles and border collies tend to be ranked pretty high while beagles tend to rank relatively low, no offense beagles.

People can have their intelligence tests with standard IQ tests and now so can your favorite canine companion with a doggie IQ test!

“I think dogs are orders of magnitudes smarter than we give them credit for,” says animal behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall.

“Everybody wants to believe that some breeds are smarter than others,” Dr. Overall says. “And I would be in the camp that says breeds differ in how they show their intelligence.”

Stacy Stubblefield wanted to find a way to prove her dog’s mental mastery. So developed the pooch i.q. kit.

“We came up with different exercises that would test for the different things that are included in intelligence like problem solving and what not,” says pooch i.q. inventor Stacy Stubblefield.

We put her test to the test. We recruited three owners and their dogs to take the pooch i.q. first Enzo, a german shepherd, widely considered a highly intelligent breed.

“I think he’s very smart,” Enzo’s owner said.

Olive also took the test. She’s a beagle, a breed that falls to the back of the brainiac pack.

“I hope to show that they are very smart,” says Daisy Okas, Olive’s owner.

Finally, Stewie, a terrier mix, to represent the mutts of the world.

“Oh, Stewie’s going to beat him hands down. Much smarter,” says Stewie’s owner Harris Bloom.

In the first exercise the dogs must find a treat hidden under a cup. Extra points for knocking over the cup to get to it. Right away, Enzo, pulls ahead of the pack. Olive and Stewie never quite figure it out.

“Sniffs around but does not knock over any cups. Oh, Olive,” says Okas.

Next it’s time to learn a new trick - turning around in a circle. Within minutes, the dogs are chasing their tails.

To test persistence and problem-solving, the dogs have to find a way to get their favorite treats out of this cone-shaped toy.

Enzo tears the toy in half. Stewie, on the other hand, is easily distracted.

Now the owners must hide from their loyal pooches under a blanket. Enzo is top of the class, again.

“I’m about to pass out,” says Bloom.

Stewie’s owner holds his breath for a while before time runs out.

Olive seems to know her owner is under the blanket, she just isn’t all that interested in getting to her.

After 15 different exercises, it’s time to tally the results. True to reputation, Enzo scored the highest.

Stewie came in second.

“Good boy, Stewie. You’re number one in my book,” Bloom says.

And alas, Olive, the beagle, had the lowest score.

“My ego is a little bit damaged just because I thought she’d do better,” Okas said. “But I’m still proud of her.”

Dr. Overall says, “We don’t actually need to have brilliant children and brilliant dogs and brilliant spouses to have a fantastic life. In fact, the thing you want most from your pets is love and companionship.

Of course there is no way to really know what our dogs are thinking. But this is a fun way to spend quality time with our furry family members. (Todays THV)

Now I think there are more than a few of you out there after reading this that will take some time and see how your pooch measures up, I know I did. I put together a few of these test on my own with what I had at home and was pretty pleased with my babies, Jezzie and Bruti.

There didn’t have any problem finding the treat and proceeded to gobble it up. Turning in a circle, no problem and same with finding me under a blanket. I think they got a head start there because we play the ‘blanket game’ all the time. They both also got a head start on getting treats out of a treat toy since this is normal, if noisy, recreation here.

Since these were the only tests listed, they were all I could try out and I think my babies, both English Springer Spaniels, did pretty well. They both love to play and seemed to think these were just more fun games for them. I do think they had an edge because we do play ‘games’ a lot.

So if you give it a try, let me know how your pooch does Taking the time to play with your dog, to interact, is fun and also teaches them. Just like people, there’s no doubt that dogs learn and the more they learn, the smarter they are.

Lately, if you watch the news, you will have noticed an increasing rash in the number of stolen dogs; from pets stores, shelters, vehicles, people’s homes and even off the street when someone may leave their dog unattended. The largest majority are smaller, purebred dogs because they have turned into a commodity. They’re easy to grab, transport and turn into cash. their popularity has risen dramatically recently especially with the celebs and their pocket pooches. It’s chic and thieves are taking advantage.

Here’s some information and advice to help you protect your canine companion and don’t think it can’t happen to you, it can happen to anyone! Don’t take the chance, be prepared!

Dognapping on the Rise

As the value and profile of purebred and crossbred dogs are on the rise, so are incidents of dognapping. The theft of pet dogs was once a rare occurrence, but has become a specialized criminal enterprise. Like car thieves, dognappers tend to target specific types of dogs. Toy breeds such as Chihuahuas, Yorkshire terriers and Maltese are especially desirable to dognappers as they are in high demand and can fetch upward of $2,500.

According to American Kennel Club spokesperson Lisa Peterson, “The value of pets in people’s lives has been on the rise over the years, so thieves are trying to capitalize on this.” The AKC’s 21st Century Dog Owners Study estimates that 88 percent of people think dogs are a member of the family. “Since animals are members of the family, thieves know people may pay a ransom,” says Peterson. “They may also steal them to use as breeding stock, but the monetary value of those pups would be greatly diminished since the dogs won’t have AKC registration papers.”

An increasingly common ploy dognappers use is to pretend to be prospective buyers of puppies that have been advertised for sale. Breeders should be cautious of home visits by potential buyers. They should ask for detailed information and ID before allowing them into the home, and always have a friend or family member present.

Once a dog has been taken, the thief may wait for a reward to be posted before contacting the dog’s owner and offering to return the dog. This may be done under the guise that they bought it from someone else and want to be compensated for the fee they paid. In cases such as this it is advisable to contact your local police before making arrangements.

Dog owners should take special care to prevent their canine companions from being vulnerable to theft:

• Never leave your dog unattended in a yard as it may become a potential target of dognappers.
• Keep gates and doors to your home locked.
• Never leave your dog unattended in the car, even if it is locked.
• Never leave your dog tied up outside a store or restaurant.
• Protect your dog by making sure he is wearing ID tags and has a tattoo or microchip. A microchip is a permanent form of ID that is slightly larger than a grain of rice and is placed just under the skin by a veterinarian. It is encoded with an unalterable code that can be read with a scanner. This is one of the best ways to identify your pet and make it more likely to be recovered. For more information on microchips, go to www.akccar.org (the AKC Companion Animal Recovery program) and www.HomeAgain.com.
• When you take your dog for a walk, be sure to keep it on leash so it can’t wander off.
• Be vigilant and aware of people watching you or your dog; stay in well-lit areas and keep a cell phone handy at all times.
• If someone approaches you to ask about your dog, don’t divulge details, especially not the purchase price of your dog or where you live.
• If purchasing a dog via an advertisement, be careful you are not buying stolen goods. Ask for some proof of ownership, e.g., American Kennel Club registration papers, veterinary records or microchip registration.

If your dog has been stolen, post flyers with a current photo of the dog throughout your neighborhood and at local pet businesses such as veterinarians, pet stores, groomers and training schools. You can also list your lost dog online at www.DogDetective.com. (MSNBC)

Here’s a great video by the ASPCA on problem plants. They go over 17 different plants that are poisonous or toxic to our pets. With spring here and plant season coming on full force, it is more than worth the few minutes it takes to watch the video to safeguard our furry friends from possible disaster and even death!

As a dog owner, you should know by now that your dog should not eat chocolate. It is toxic and in a large enough quantity, it can kill! So let’s talk a little about chocolate and what’s in it that’s the problem.

• The toxic component of chocolate is theobromine.

• The half life in the dog is 17.5 hours.

• The Toxic dose in the dog is 100-150 mg/kg (kilogram (kg) = 2.2 lbs, milligram(mg) = 1/1000 of a gram).

So for a 50 pound dog, a toxic dose would be roughly 2.2 grams (2200 mg) of pure chocolate. For a 10 lb dog, the toxic dose is 500mg.

However the concentration of theobromine varies with the formulation of the chocolate so:

• Milk chocolate has 44mg/oz (154mg/100gm): toxic dose for 50 lb dog - 50 oz of milk chocolate.

• Semisweet chocolate has 150 mg/oz (528mg/100gm): toxic dose for 50 lb dog - 15 oz of semisweet chocolate

• Baking chocolate 390mg/oz (1365 mg/100gm): toxic dose for 50 lb dog - 5 oz of baking chocolate

Thus a dog eating one oz of baking chocolate would have to eat almost 3 oz of semisweet or 10 oz of milk chocolate to get the same dose of theobromine.

The theobromine in candies consisting of chocolate that is coated over some other substance - as in filled candies and chocolate coated dried fruits, etc. will be more dilute than that in pure chocolate bars and solid chocolate candies.

Obviously the chocolate in milk chocolate is quite dilute and this is why many dogs can eat a piece here and there and seem not to show toxic effects, how many dogs would get ahold of 50 oz at a time? This is not true of the more concentrated forms however.

The Case of Two Dogs - In one case, there were two dogs, a 95 pound one and a 60 pound one. They got hold of 2 one pound bags of Nestle’s semi-sweet chocolate pieces (a bag each). The 95 pound dog survived but the 60 pound dog ingested a toxic dose.

So, a few chocolate chips won’t do ANYTHING.

Most chocolate bars won’t do much of ANYTHING

If your dog ingested the above, mostly likely they will only have the ill effects of a sore belly.

MOST dogs are eating chocolate bars which contain very little chocolate. There is however a trend to people eating more ‘real’ chocolate, a much higher danger to them.

So your best advise is to keep all chocolate away from dogs but if they do get a little, unless there are some underlying factors, there’s no need to panic. If there’s ever a question, don’t hesitate to contact your vet. It’s not worth taking a chance.

And for more great information check out The Online Vet and Veterinary Secrets Revealed!