Taboo Treats & Chocolate Chart

Do you give your dog a grape every now and then? How about the occasional chocolate-chip cookie? If so, pick up the October issue of National Geographic and get the scoop on why these seemingly harmless treats can be dangerous. The feature story, "Canine Taboos," focuses on foods toxic to dogs, such as grapes, chocolate, coffee, onions and more. You might be surprised to find what's on the list.

Unfortunately, I have first-hand experience with this kind of food scare. Several months ago, I came home to discover an open bag of semisweet chocolate chips on my kitchen floor. One of the dogs had managed to open up the pantry door and get into my baking supplies. At first, I wasn't too concerned because we have four dogs and I figured the chocolate was divided among my entire pack. But then I realized that if only one of them ate all of the chocolate, s/he would be in trouble. I called my vet and she recommended we make all of the dogs vomit. Turns out that one dog -- our Dalmatian, Darby -- did indeed eat the entire 8-ounce bag of chocolate chips all by herself. Fortunately, she was fine but it was frightening nonetheless.

If you're concerned about the effects of chocolate on your dog, National Geographic also provides an interactive "chocolate chart." You can adjust the weight of the dog and the amount of chocolate ingested to determine the real-life symptoms. It can also help you determine if a vet visit is in order.

Julia Kamysz Lane