Cocoa butter and cocoa butter products are extremely popular these days! It’s used in a wide range of products, too. Because of its popularity, our canine companions have a greater chance of getting mixed up with cocoa butter products. In some cases, dogs may even eat cocoa butter! But is cocoa butter toxic to dogs?
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Has your dog licked some cocoa butter? Are you worried the cocoa butter will make your dog sick? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. We understand it can be scary when your dog does something like this.
In this article, we’ll take a look at cocoa butter and whether or not it can make a dog sick. Let’s get started!
What is Cocoa Butter?
Cocoa butter is a type of fat that is derived from cocoa beans. These are the same beans used to make chocolate. Cocoa has been used for medicinal purposes for over 3,000 years. It was once the cherished ingredient for ancient Mayans and Aztecs, who used cocoa as a currency.
These days, cocoa butter has been shown to have medicinal properties that can help your body and skin. Cocoa butter’s health properties come from the fact that it contains a high amount of fatty acids. This is what makes the butter so popular for use in skin products. The cocoa butter works to hydrate and nourish skin while improving its elasticity.
While cocoa butter can be healthy for the skin, used to flavor, and provide a lovely aroma, is it toxic to dogs?
Cocoa Butter & Dogs
Many people fear that cocoa butter is toxic to dogs because it’s derived from the cocoa plant. This is the same plant that provides us chocolate! While it’s true both substances come from the cocoa plant, cocoa butter, unlike chocolate, does not contain theobromine.
Theobromine is a substance that acts as a stimulate in humans. While theobromine is safe for us, it’s toxic to dogs.
The good news is that cocoa butter does not contain theobromine. However, because it is high in fat, it’s possible that some dogs, who may have sensitive stomachs, could develop digestive issues even from licking cocoa butter. In most cases, a dog will be just fine after a lick or two of cocoa butter.
If your dog does lick cocoa butter and later has some concerning symptoms, then we do suggest calling the vet. It’s possible that some dogs could have a case of diarrhea and vomiting, which could result in dehydration. The vet will have treatments to rehydrate your dog, as well as stop diarrhea and vomiting.
Connect with a verified veterinarian in minutes. Licensed vets are available 24/7 to answer your questions. No need to worry about your furry family member.
Kim
Kim is a talented author, who loves animals especially dogs. She engaged in writing books and articles relating to animals a decade ago. Kim resides in Chicago with her husband and son. The family is the proud owner of a dog and a parrot (Jack and Lily). Kim wanted more than these two pets, but her husband put his foot down... She often visits elementary schools to talk to the kids about what she learned about pets and how they could learn from them.
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