MACAWS: Macaws are flamboyant, colorful, intelligent and captivating birds. However, like ill-trained children, macaws can be a major embarrassment if they are not well trained.

CONURES: In wild conures are friendly, peaceful birds and seldom fight with each other. Conures are known for their sweet dispositions and playfulness. They definitely have a mind of their own.

COCKATOOS: Cockatoos make wonderful pets because of their sweet nature. Cockatoos love to be cuddled and bond very easily with their human owners.

PARAKEETS: Parakeets have as many variations of their breed as there are varieties of their color. 'Parakeets' actually means "small parrots".

COCKATIELS: Cockatiels are ideal for first time pet owner. They are characteristically happy and cheerful birds, never moody or demanding.

BUDGIES: The word "budgie" is short for budgerigar which is a native green and yellow bird in Australia. They make wonderful pets because of their relatively gentle, gregarious and entertaining personalities.

Make note of type of chocolate ingested and how much was eaten, if possible.

Theobromine will stay in bloodstream between 14 and 20 hours. Within two hours of ingestion, try inducing vomiting unless your dog is over stimulated, comatose, or has lost gag reflex.

If your dog has eaten a considerable amount of chocolate, or displays any of above symptoms, take her to vet right away. If her symptoms are minor, make her eat activated charcoal. The unabsorbed theobromine binds to it and be passed out of system. (In a pinch, burnt - as in thoroughly blackened - toast will do.)

**Are there any other products I should worry about?** Yes -- Cocoa Mulch!!

No, it's not chocolate, but two products have something in common. They're both derived from cocoa bean, and they're both hazardous to your dogs health.

Cocoa bean shells are a by-product of chocolate production and are popular as mulch for landscaping. Homeowners like attractive color and scent, and fact that mulch breaks down into an organic fertilizer.

Some dogs are attracted to cocoa mulch, and will eat it in varying quantities. The coca bean shells can contain from 0.2% to 3% theobromine (the toxin ) as compaired to 1-4% in unprocessed beans.

Eating cocoa mulch has four possible outcomes. The most common is vomiting, in 50% of cases. Next most common, in 33% of cases, is tremors (shaking). And 17% end up with tachycardia (rapid heart rate), hyperactivity or diarrhea. The fourth outcome is no effect on dogs health at all, and this is result in 33% of cases.

Although only 16 cases were reported in approximately one year (the duration of study), reports are on increase. California accounts for about 2/3 of cases reported so far. Fortunately, there have been no reported fatalities, and getting your friend to vet promptly will assure a happy outcome.

**What's Bottom Line?**

Thanks to a more educated public, fewer fatalities from foods like chocolate are being reported these days.

Still, it pays to keep up with what's currently known about various foods and their effects on a dogs health and well being. Grapes and cocoa mulch, for example, were discovered only recently to have harmful effects.

If your dogs health is important to you (and I'm betting it is!), then keep him away from chocolates on Valentine's Day and other holidays as well. And watch out year round for products made from cocoa bean.

In an emergency, call your vet or ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.