Cocoa is one of the essential constituents of treats, desserts, beverages, and drinks made for human consumption. It is one ingredient that works wonders on the human senses in combination with sugar and dairy items, which is why there are only a few ways to stop people from getting their hands on cocoa based products, especially chocolate.
While chocolate is pretty safe for humans, the same is not the case with our furry friends. Chocolate is toxic to cats, so, as a responsible cat owner, you should keep this item away from your four paws. Store it on packed high shelves, so your munchkin has little side space to sit there and check what’s in the pack. Otherwise, stock it in your fridge, so your cat has little to no access.
You must take sufficient measures to protect this treasure because ingesting even minute quantities can adversely affect your cat’s health. Take your cat to the vet immediately for treatment in case of accidental ingestion, say during a holiday or house party when you weren’t looking around. In situations like these and many others, pet health insurance can come to your rescue.
Cat insurance helps provide your furball top notch medical care during accidents, injuries, specific illnesses, dental and medical emergencies, depending on the level of cover chosen. So, consider buying a policy. Meanwhile, learn about the supportive care your cat may receive during an instance of chocolate poisoning and some ways to avoid such incidents.
Supportive care
Initially, your vet will try to clean up your furball’s stomach to get out ingested chocolate as much as possible. It is worth noting that it is challenging to make a cat vomit even when various medications are available to induce vomiting. A word of caution here, don’t try to make your furry pet vomit at home whether or not you are aware of safe methods to accomplish the task.
When the first step fails and the toxicity is severe, some vets administer activated charcoal, so the toxins bind to it. Another solution a vet might consider depending on the condition, is sedating the cat and having its stomach pumped. Remember that timely medical assistance is crucial to restore health and minimize the side effects of a toxic ingestion.
If a cat shows clinical signs of toxicity, it will most likely be hospitalized. Your vet can prescribe a combination of medicines to cure specific symptoms and cleanse the body. The vet may also put the cat on fluid therapy to help maintain heart rate and blood pressure and promote toxic elimination.
How to avoid chocolate toxicity?
- As with any harmful substance staying away from it is the first best thing to do. So, keep your cat away from chocolate.
- Store chocolate packs in closed containers in locked cabinets, so even if your cat gets to the cabinets it can’t access the sweet things.
- Don’t leave baking supplies or baked food open and unattended on the kitchen counters. Or, you can keep your cat out of this room while baking.
Cats can’t process sweet taste; still, their curiosity can lead them to nibble a bar or muffin. When your cat does that, be prepared for terrible health consequences due to chocolate poisoning. If you suspect your furbaby has eaten any amount of chocolate, hurry to the vet’s office right away.
Pet health insurance covers a fur baby’s testing, treatment, and medications during health emergencies like this and many more. Contemplate purchasing cat insurance so you don’t have to think twice about providing your cat timely medical care in financially demanding scenarios like these and others.
