javasaurus (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
javasaurus) wrote2008-09-03 11:15 am
javasaurus) wrote2008-09-03 11:15 am
Death by chocolate--it could happen to you!
Yes, it seems true that you can die from eating too much chocolate.
We've all heard that you shouldn't feed dogs chocolate, that it makes them sick and can kill them. What I didn't know is that cats are even more sensative to chocolate than dogs are!
Here's the really wacky part that I just learned: it's not an issue with cats because they don't usually like chocolate -- they have no sweet receptors! Wacky, I tell you! Just plain wacky!
The problem for dogs and cats (and horses and some other animals) is an inability to metabolize theobromine, a major chemical component of chocolate. Even humans can die from eating too much, overwhelming the body's theobromine metabolism. But don't worry -- the amount for humans is about 22 pounds in one sitting.
Check out the Wikipedia page on Theobromine poisoning for more information.
We've all heard that you shouldn't feed dogs chocolate, that it makes them sick and can kill them. What I didn't know is that cats are even more sensative to chocolate than dogs are!
Here's the really wacky part that I just learned: it's not an issue with cats because they don't usually like chocolate -- they have no sweet receptors! Wacky, I tell you! Just plain wacky!
The problem for dogs and cats (and horses and some other animals) is an inability to metabolize theobromine, a major chemical component of chocolate. Even humans can die from eating too much, overwhelming the body's theobromine metabolism. But don't worry -- the amount for humans is about 22 pounds in one sitting.
Check out the Wikipedia page on Theobromine poisoning for more information.