Our Golden Retriever almost died last night because of CHOCOLATE

[Sugarfoot]

Our big dog snatched a Costco-size bag of chocolate chips from the kitchen island yesterday afternoon. The kids yelled, I grabbed the bag, but in less than 60 seconds, she managed to swallow about 2 pounds of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Within an hour, she was throwing up and shaking.

 

Thank goodness we have an incredible vet school here! She spent the night there. They gave her blood pressure meds to get her heart rate down, diuretics, and charcoal. She had seizures, and her heart rate was over 200bpm.

 

Chocolate is toxic at 40-60 mcg per kg of weight. She had 117 mcg per kg.

 

She's snoring at my feet at the moment! We are very lucky that she's okay.

 

Apparently, this is fairly common at this time of year, when everyone is baking.

 

Please, all dog owners, be careful with the baking ingredients!

[LauraGB]

:grouphug: So glad she is okay! Chocolate terrifies me with dogs - they seem to like it so much. My friend from grade school had a boxer that barely made it because he did the same thing.

[KidsHappen]

I am so glad to hear that your dog is ok. I can't tell you how many times I have removed gum (some types also toxic) and chocolate from my GR's mouth. I am constantly reminding the entire family to not leave any out where the dog might be able to get it.

[sheryl]

Gina, So glad she's ok. Our first lab ate half of a huge chocolate chip cookie when she was young. That was about 18 years ago. She was fine. You're right, too much chocolate can kill a dog.

 

The vets at Drs. Foster&Smith (vets) say that dogs can consume small doses of chocolate in a 24 hour period, but it is dependent on weight. So much per number of pounds the dog weighs.

 

Our lab consumes everything.in.sight. So, we're always on the lookout or try to be.:001_smile:

[GWOB]

:grouphug: My Chocolate Lab seems to think chocolate is ok due to her color:glare:. While she has never consumed that much in one sitting, she has reached the back of the counter just to grab a piece of chocolate. She is the only one of my children that listens. I would have been a basket case if that happened to her. So glad to hear your pup is ok.

[Starr]

That is so scary. My sister was visiting with her large dog once this time of year. We came home in the evening and the kids started carrying on and hollering," Max ate 40 pieces of chocolate!" When asked how they knew how much they said, "because there were 20 pieces left on our Advent calendars." lol

[Jen in PA]

My DC adore my uncle's dog so much that they actually begged me not to even put chocolate in his box of goodies this month! I am so glad your dog is ok and thank you for the timely reminder.

[Tylianna]

I'm glad he is ok! Poor dogs just don't know any better :glare:

 

I had a hamster that got loose and ate my Snickers bar....

 

When I found him he was covered in chocolate and running around like he was strung out! Then he would stop to catch his breath, then do it again... It is funny when I think back on it. He turned out to be okay, too.

[elegantlion]

I'm glad your puppy is all right. :grouphug:

[Sugarfoot]

Thanks, everyone!

 

All of our dogs have eaten chocolate in the past. They love M&M's and cookies and stuff. We've never had one get sick from it, but then again, we've never had one get into anything like this before now!

 

The vet student explained that pure cocoa or unsweetened chocolate is the worst, followed by bittersweet, semi-sweet, milk, etc. White chocolate doesn't seem to have any effect.

 

DS took his video camera when we picked her up, and he and DD are planning to film a PSA about it for their next film contest. The vet student explained the details on camera for him, which was great.:001_smile: They want everyone to know how sick dogs can get from this.

[MangoMama]

Oh my! How scary that must have been for you! I'm so glad she's OK!

 

We have a Golden, too, and I'm dreading the day when I have to be without him.

 

When he was a puppy, he got into some chocolate. I forgot exactly what happened (kids Halloween candy, I think), but I remember freaking out because at the time, I thought any and all chocolate would hurt him. But when I called the vet about it, she asked about the amount and looked at his weight (I believe he visited the vet just a week or so prior to this incident) and reassured me that he should be OK. She was right! He's now (mostly) grown out of wanting to eat everything in sight! Not entirely, though. When he's mad at us, he'll reach up on the counter to find something. Quite funny, though, because it's only when he's mad at us.

[dancer67]

How scary! I am glad she is okay!! I have a Lab and he tends to get into things he is not supposed to either. I have to make sure I be careful what I leave out.

:grouphug:

[MangoMama]

The vet student explained that pure cocoa or unsweetened chocolate is the worst, followed by bittersweet, semi-sweet, milk, etc. White chocolate doesn't seem to have any effect.

 

DS took his video camera when we picked her up, and he and DD are planning to film a PSA about it for their next film contest. The vet student explained the details on camera for him, which was great.:001_smile: They want everyone to know how sick dogs can get from this.

 

I've read somewhere that it's the ALCOHOL in the chocolate that is the deadly part for dogs. So perhaps pure cocoa has the most, and white chocolate has near none?

 

The video is such a great idea! I think it is very important for people to know how sick pets can get from chocolate and sugar free foods. Spaying and neutering would be another great topic. :D

[astrid]

OH MY GOSH what a scare!

So glad you guys caught it quickly, and that she's snoozing at your feet!

 

Hugs to all!

 

astrid

[gingersmom]

I know someone whose dog did the same exact thing with a bag of chocolate from Costco. Thankfully that dog was also okay.

 

Glad your furry child is on the way to recovery.

[Catwoman]

Thank goodness your dog is ok! That must have been so scary!

 

Cat

[Ibbygirl]

Oh my gosh!! It's a miracle she's alive. I'm so glad that she is okay. :grouphug:

[DarlaS]

I've read somewhere that it's the ALCOHOL in the chocolate that is the deadly part for dogs. So perhaps pure cocoa has the most, and white chocolate has near none?

 

The video is such a great idea! I think it is very important for people to know how sick pets can get from chocolate and sugar free foods. Spaying and neutering would be another great topic. :D

 

It's something called theobromine and some chocolate has enough caffeine to be detrimental also.

 

White chocolate isn't true chocolate. It's a sort of cocoa butter/sugar confection thing. (No cocoa solids--which is where the thoebromine is)

 

I had an issue of National Geographic sometime back that had an article on foods that are toxic to dogs. I worry more about garlic & onion as that has a cumulative effect.

 

Ooh! I think I found an interactive version of it: Canine Taboos

 

ETA: The above article has a chart that tells how much of each type of chocolate is dangerous to your dog by weight.

Edited December 15, 2010 by darlasowders

[i.love.lucy]

I came home recently to find my dog had eaten an entire 9x13 pan of brownies off my island. She had neatly peeled the foil off the top and the pan was still up there on the counter - licked clean. :glare: She was okay but it scared me to death!

[Laurie]

 

Please, all dog owners, be careful with the baking ingredients!

 

I'm so glad your dog is okay!

 

Another chocolate danger for dogs could be in the garden...cocoa mulch.

[Tree House Academy]

Yes, and I have read that semi-sweet and dark chocolate are two of the worst kinds. I am glad your dog is all better now!

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

Yikes! And just today my Shih Tzu (all of 18lbs) managed to get to the Advent Calendar too! He got a piece of chocolate, less than the calendar square. But still...

It was this morning, and he's been fine so far.

[annlaura]

So scary! Glad your sweetheart is ok. :grouphug:

[Sugarfoot]

I so appreciate all the good wishes for our sweet dog!

 

I'm so glad to hear all the stories about other dogs being okay, too.

 

It's something called theobromine and some chocolate has enough caffeine to be detrimental also.

 

White chocolate isn't true chocolate. It's a sort of cocoa butter/sugar confection thing. (No cocoa solids--which is where the thoebromine is)

 

I had an issue of National Geographic sometime back that had an article on foods that are toxic to dogs. I worry more about garlic & onion as that has a cumulative effect.

 

Ooh! I think I found an interactive version of it: Canine Taboos

 

ETA: The above article has a chart that tells how much of each type of chocolate is dangerous to your dog by weight.

 

Yes, the vet told is it was the theobromine and, to a lesser extent, the caffeine.

 

And although most of the scary stories we hear are about solid chocolate, we were told about one sad story of a large dog who died after eating a can of cocoa powder.

 

Thanks again!

[Mary in VA]

Our Westie did that a couple of years ago. Thankfully it wasn't a Costco sized bag but we couldn't remember how much was in it before she found it in the pantry. She had eaten all that was left. My dh and dd found her finishing it off. We rushed her to the vet and they gave her a shot to make her vomit. Poor thing, she went in all perky and happy and came out like a limp dish rag. Unfortunately dogs can't make the connection between what they eat and getting sick! It would keep them from eating so many unpleasant things.

 

Another food that is very dangerous for dogs is grapes/raisins. We would let our dog eat raisins until we found that out. I felt so horrible, we had been poisoning her! :001_huh: THankfully she was okay.

 

So glad your dog is fine!!

 

Mary

[Dayle in Guatemala]

So grateful she's okay! Scary! Thanks for the reminder.