What to Do if Your Dog Eats Chocolate
What to do if your dog eats chocolate! Well I knew it was not good for Vlinder or any dog, still did not really have been reading all the ins and outs. She was not getting it, not from me…….wasn`t she? One evening I was eating some of these with chocolate covered nougat candies. And I was wondering already that I was finished so soon….just did not really thought of it. And did not looked on the couch if I may have dropped one.
But then
I went to get a drink from the kitchen and when I came back I found Vlinder eating something big… mmm what could that be? O, No I realized what it was; my missing nougat! I opened her mouth and took the candy out. Still shaking I took my phone, looked at the clock mmmm what now?
What to do next?
You can imagine my heart went triple that fast and of course it was already 11:00pm……. I told myself to be calm and google… What is that these days that we google everything before we even simply think ourselves? Anyway, nope it was not good and that Vlinder is so small did not help either as she really cannot have much. But when I calmed down I decided to keep a good look at her. I believed it was not enough chocolate to go to the vet at 11:00pm. It was milk chocolate and she had not been eating all of it.
Keeping an eye at her
Anyway she won the battle of her sleeping situation a while ago and is with me on the bed, in this case good! Open or Closed Crate, what an adventure that has been…. (papillon-living.com) Also I was reading about the symptoms and reaction she may get after eating the chocolate in the next days. For us at the end it all worked out fine, but like to share with you more info about this topic.
Lets find here more info
What to do if your dog has eaten chocolate?
What are the symptoms if a dog has eaten chocolate?
Why is chocolate dangerous for dogs?
Dogs are much more sensitive to chocolate than humans. Half a bar of chocolate can already lead to deadly poisoning in a dog. The toxicity depends on the type of chocolate and the amount ingested.
Symptoms
Two to four hours after ingestion, symptoms begin: the dog is restless, vomiting, urinating frequently and has diarrhea. The condition deteriorates when breathing accelerates, the heart rate rises, and a fever breaks out. A few hours later, seizures and cardiac arrhythmias may occur. This could end fatally.
What to do if your dog has allergies atopy to substances? (papillon-living.com)
Treatment
Contact the veterinarian immediately in the following cases:
• Black chocolate: If the dog has eaten more than 2 grams per kilogram of body weight (20 grams for a dog of 10 kg, 40 grams for a dog of 20 kg, …).
• Milk chocolate: If the dog has eaten more than 10 grams per kilogram of body weight (100 grams for a dog of 10 kg, 200 grams for a dog of 20 kg, …).
If it is smaller quantities than indicated above or if your dog has eaten white chocolate, you do not have to do anything
There is no specific antidote, but the veterinarian will treat the dog symptomatically. If the intake is recent (less than two hours), the doctor will make the dog vomit to get the dangerous substances out of the body.
Toxicity
Cocoa contains mainly theobromine and to a lesser extent caffeine. Dogs are very sensitive to theobromine. The darker the chocolate, the more theobromine and therefore the more dangerous for the dog. White chocolate contains pretty much no theobromine and is therefore not dangerous.
Theobromine is an alkaloid belonging to the methylxanthine family, which also includes theophylline and caffeine. It is responsible for the bitter taste in cocoa and chocolate. These plant alkaloids stimulate the central nervous system and heart muscle. In addition, they give a relaxation of the smooth muscles (especially those of the respiratory tract) and increased urine production.
Fun facts and more about your dog! (papillon-living.com)
Risk
The toxicity depends on the type and the amount of chocolate ingested. Darker chocolate is more dangerous for the dog than milk chocolate.
Remark
For a dog with an allergy to chocolate, a small amount of 10 grams can already be fatal. Make sure you know: “What to do when your dog eats chocolate”.
How to keep your dog calm while driving — Papillon-Living.com
Prevention
Do not leave chocolate or chocolates on the table or countertop. Even though this is out of sight of the animal, dogs are masters at locating food and know how to find it. In addition, dogs are not very picky when it comes to food. So, don’t take any chances and keep chocolate away from dogs.
I can tell you that here in our house I am much more careful now with my chocolates!
