Dogs Aren't The Only Animals That Shouldn't Eat Chocolate

While a dog has always been synonymous with being a man's best friend, there are many other cute pets that we also adore. Whether you're more into a small gerbil or a large horse, there are plenty of animals out there that are looking for a home. And when we think about taking care of our pets that often become like family members, it's important for us to keep them as safe as possible. Sometimes this might mean putting up something like a fence, so that your little one can't run into the road, or protecting them from ingesting certain types of foods.

One of the big candies that we know we should keep away from our dogs is chocolate, but why is that exactly? According to the ASPCA, while this treat is delicious for humans to consume, it can be fatal for our pooches because of a substance called Methylxanthines. The substance is found in cacao seeds and when eaten by our pups can cause a ton of scary issues like vomiting, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, and even lead to death. Although this might be common knowledge to some of us, you might be surprised to learn about other animals that are also impacted by this type of candy.

It's been made pretty clear to us over the years that we should keep our canines away from any type of chocolate, but there are other animals that are just as vulnerable to its negative impacts. The Humane Society reports that it can also be toxic to cats and ferrets, in addition to any other candy that has the ingredient Xylitol listed on its label. Xylitol is typically used as a sugar substitute and is a naturally occurring alcohol that's detected in most plants, per WebMD. It's commonly found in sweets, gum, and even mints.

Unfortunately, these confections also aren't just dangerous for your pets that might reside indoors. According to research in the book "Chocolate in Health and Nutrition" it can also be deadly for wild and domestic animals. Their findings noted that the "inclusion of chocolate and its by-products in animal feed has led to fatal toxicity in pigs, poultry, cattle, and horses." So, it appears that if you're ever in doubt, it's best to just keep the sweet treats as far away from our furry friends as possible.