"dsi1" > wrote in message
...
> Kathleen wrote:
>> dsi1 wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I heard this too when I was growing up. Now I find that this is not true
>>> and it's only some dogs that will kick the bucket from kidney failure
>>> when given chocolate. The problem is that nobody wants to say which dogs
>>> can and cannot tolerate chocolate. That's the breaks.
>>
>> It's not the kidneys that are affected. It's the nervous system,
>> cardiovascular system and peripheral nerves. And it's not a question of
>> which dog (as if some are invulnerable), it's how much chocolate and at
>> what concentration.
>>
>
> Thanks for the info. The kidneys are a favorite organ to cite when you're
> not sure what the heck causes a problem to mammals. That's my guess
> anyway. :-)
>
No, there are many blood test values that point to kidney failure, or liver
failure, or any other organ failure. The key is to have a vet who knows the
norms for your pet so that if an unfortunate death occurs, they can see what
it was. Some owners don't want to know, or care to know, what caused death.