Chocolate = Dog Poison -- Fact or Myth?
I guess we will find out.
After we babysat Ravi for two weeks, Patty gave us some treats from Greece: a bag with some chocolates and some foil-wrapped chocolately baklava. In the bag was a note that said, "Thanks for taking care of me. Love, Ravi xoxo." I guess Carmen thought the note was for her because she jumped up and ate the whole bag, plastic, wrappers, candy and all.
As if that weren't enough, she also jumped up on a different counter and ate some candy from a baby shower I went to on Saturday. This candy was like little non-pareils of what seemed like toothpaste mixed with pastel food coloring mixed with chalk. Well, she ate all that plus most of the tulle it was wrapped up in.
Dr. Khuly, if you are reading this, IS MY DOG GOING TO DIE?
She seems chipper as always.
Please tell me the truth.
Thanks,
Dubin
After we babysat Ravi for two weeks, Patty gave us some treats from Greece: a bag with some chocolates and some foil-wrapped chocolately baklava. In the bag was a note that said, "Thanks for taking care of me. Love, Ravi xoxo." I guess Carmen thought the note was for her because she jumped up and ate the whole bag, plastic, wrappers, candy and all.
As if that weren't enough, she also jumped up on a different counter and ate some candy from a baby shower I went to on Saturday. This candy was like little non-pareils of what seemed like toothpaste mixed with pastel food coloring mixed with chalk. Well, she ate all that plus most of the tulle it was wrapped up in.
Dr. Khuly, if you are reading this, IS MY DOG GOING TO DIE?
She seems chipper as always.
Please tell me the truth.
Thanks,
Dubin
posted by Dubin at 8:46 PM
7 Comments:
It is definitely possible to poison a dog with chocolate. I stand by that because the internets say it is true. However, if Droo isn't already shaking and vomitting, he's probably survived. Now, if you are at work and you don't know whether or not he is shaking and vomitting, that'd be hard to guage.
Where'd I get Droo from? I have no idea. You even said Carmen. So yeah. Carmen.
poor girl. she was just trying to save you the trouble of unwrapping all the treats and now it could make her sick! i hope she pulls through okay.
i think it's the caffeine in chocolate that isn't good for dogs. when i was a kid our 20 pound dog ate like a pound of chocolate and got the shakes. as i recall, the vet said to give her kaopectate.
Here's the best description I have found to explain how/why chocolate can be harmful to dogs:
Chocolate contains theobromine, an alkaloid that dogs can't metabolize quickly. If a dog ingests a large amount of chocolate, the theobromine can build up and reach a toxic level of concentration, leading to cardiac arrest. Different types of chocolate are more harmful than others, and the effects will vary, depending upon the size and weight of the dog. However, it is potentially lethal.
If you know your dog has ingested chocolate (signs of chocolate poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, excessive urination, a quick heart rate, and rapid breathing) take him to a vet immediately.
I think you would know by now if Carmen was sick from the chocolate she ate. I hope she is just fine! :)
Carmen acted completely fine all day. All told, she really only ate less than 4 oz. of the stuff, but there was paper and foil and all that involved. Not to mention the tulle.
She weighs about 6o lbs, so I guess she bested the poison. Although she had some uh... softish stools. But she's fine, it seems.
My vet told me its not regular chocolate that is a danger, but bakers chocolate. However we were speaking about a dog thats 60ish pounds, and ate a tray full of christmas candy, and a tray full of christmas cookies. Thats two trays for those counting, and both had lots of chocolate.
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