Charlie and the bad chocolate factory.
A group of veterinarians is warning dog owners of the danger of some popular Easter snacks.
PDSA, the UK’s largest veterinarian charity, has issued guidelines for chocolate poisoning after a dog was rushed to a clinic after the pooch ate a two-pound share bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs.
Charlie, a Labrador-Staffordshire Terrier mix, had jumped a stair gate and stole an entire package of the chocolate, which has become a go-to Easter treat.
Charlie’s owners found the mischievous pooch quiet next to empty bags of the mini eggs.
The owners immediately called their local pet hospital, and were told to rush their dog down.
“Before they made it to our Bournemouth Pet Hospital, Charlie had vomited five times at home and continued to be sick during the short car journey,” PDSA said in a Facebook post.
When they arrived at the clinic, Charlie was examined and given a shot to induce more vomiting in order to expel the rest of the chocolate.
“Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine, which is safe for humans but dangerous for dogs and other pets as they can’t break it down,” said Nina, a vet with PDSA.
A little while after the injection, Charlie began to perk up and was given the all-clear to go home to her family.
“Every Easter, our vets see emergency cases of pets who have eaten chocolate treats; that’s why we’re urging owners to be extra vigilant,” PDSA said in its post. “If your pet gets their paws on something they shouldn’t, seek immediate treatment.”
Unlike humans who will get a sugar high and potential stomachache after eating too much chocolate, pets’ bodies could shut down from consumption.
“If they eat enough chocolate, the theobromine in it will make their brain, heart, nerves and muscles go into overdrive,” Nina added.
While there are different types of chocolate, none should be fed to dogs ever.
“As a general rule, the darker the chocolate, the more cocoa solids/theobromine it will contain and the more toxic it’s likely to be,” the advisory stated. “However, even chocolate with less cocoa solids can be toxic if enough is eaten.”
White chocolate, although it does not contain cocoa solids, which means toxicity isn’t a risk, could still contain a lot of fat a sugar, which could cause digestive problems.
Theobromine, as well as caffeine, can cause certain symptoms in dogs, including excitement, agitation, restlessness, hyperactivity, diarrhea, vomiting, excessive drinking and bladder use.
Signs of chocolate poisoning, which would appear within a few hours of consumption include fast breathing/panting, shaking and tremors, high temperatures, fast heart rate, seizures, and high blood pressure.
“This is very rare, but the most severe cases of chocolate poisoning can lead to heart failure, coma and even death,” the PDSA statement said.
Dog owners should immediately seek help from a veterinarian if they suspect their pet consumed chocolate, and not wait for symptoms to appear