As we approach the festive season Hyperdrug is warning owners against feeding dogs chocolate.

It is not obesity that is the concern but one of the ingredients found in chocolate called theobremine which is toxic in pets.

Darren Walton general manager of Hyperdrug pet pharmacy issues this stark warning:

"A lot of dog owners seem to be unaware that feeding chocolate to dogs can be fatal."

Theobremine can also cause health problems in people, but is found largely in doses deemed too small to be of any harm, it is however extremely harmful in pets. Strangely it is of greatest toxicity in cats but they are less likely to consume chocolate it is dogs where the threat is greatest.

Theobremine is is in higher concentration in dark chocolate, the more refined the chocolate the less the amount of theobremine it contains with an increased quantity needed to be consumed to produce toxicity of milk chocolate and an even greater quantity of white chocolate.

Treatment is required by a veterinary surgeon in cases of chocolate poising in pets.