Theobromine intoxication in a red fox and a European badger in Sweden

A red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and a European badger (Meles meles) were found de ad on a golf-course in October 1997 near Stockholm (Sweden). At necropsy, b oth animals were obese and the main finding was acute circulatory collapse. Theobromine intoxication was suspected as chocolate waste was available at a nearby farm and no other cause of death could be detected. Gastric conte nts and samples of liver from both animals were analyzed by reversed-phase high pressure liquid chromatography for the presence of methylxanthines. Th eobromine and caffeine were detected in gastric contents and theobromine wa s identified in the liver samples from both animals. This appears to be the first report of theobromine intoxication in the red fox and the European b adger.