Dog Eats Chocolate - Deadly Potential
Byron's Dog Blog
For Everyone
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Consult a vet immediately, if your companion animal ingests anything you think is poisonous, or if you are not sure. This guide is for emergencies, where access to a vet is impossible or will take a very long time. You are responsible for your companion animal and you follow this guide with full liability for your actions.
As you surely know, chocolate can be fatally dangerous to us dogs. But no matter how many eyes you have in the back of your head, we love to eat things we find, and we don't care if they're safe to eat - that's your job!
If you're reading this because your dog just ate some chocolate, I'll cut to the chase.
You need to make him sick, right now, so he can throw up the chocolate before he starts to digest it.
Be Extremely Careful!
You may find lots of articles on this subject, as Burtman did, last week, when I snapped up a chunk of very dark chocolate, which is the most dangerous kind (it was dark and I'm very fast).
In my case, since I weigh around 20kg / 44lbs, two teaspoons (NOT tablespoons!) of hydrogen peroxide (not more than 3% concentrate) did the job; in a few minutes, I barfed my guts out. Dad found it hard to watch and felt very sorry for me, but out came the chocolate and it was all over in 10 minutes.
Some guides you will find mention anything from half a teaspoon to two teaspoons per 5lb of dog weight. That's too vague to be safe, especially given that too much hydrogen peroxide can be just as poisonous as the chocolate. Dad read a few more articles and came to the conclusion that two teaspoons was enough.
How To Get It In
Even though we like to eat everything we find, you might find us very stubborn when it comes to swallowing things that you actually want us to swallow. You need to open his mouth without any fuss and keep it there while you pour. Here's how dad does it:
1. Stand with one leg either side of your dog's body, so he can't run away.
2. Carefully sit down on his back, above his back legs, to make him sit.
3. Lift his chin with one hand, so his head is pointed up at you.
4. Press your finger and thumb firmly into the corners of his mouth, to make him open his mouth.
5. Pour the peroxide mixture directly down his throat, taking care not to splash it in his eyes.
6. Close his mouth and keep his head pointing up at you, so he doesn't spit out the fluid.
7. Gently stroke his throat to encourage swallowing. He will usually swallow immediately, out of reflex.
8. Tell him he's a good boy and don't let him sit on your bed, as he'll soon be throwing up.
Why Is Chocolate Dangerous?
Chocolate is toxic for you, too, you know. Ok, maybe you didn't know that, but it's true. The difference is that you have the ability to expel the toxic component (theobromine) before it causes damage, whereas us dogs (and some other animals) don't have that ability, so the toxic theobromine just stays in ours bodies, becoming more and more poisonous, until the worst happens.
The darker the chocolate, the more caffeine and theobromine are likely to be present, increasing the danger and the urgency. The actual amount of theobromine will vary from one chocolate to another, so you can't waste time assuming it's fine. Always assume it's NOT FINE.
Symptoms Of Poisoning
Toxic shock and poisoning can manifest in many ways, and it can be difficult to tell exactly what is going on. Even if you are sure your dog hasn't eaten chocolate, recently, he may have come into contact with another poison, by another means. Some poisonous things can take longer to cause trouble, so it could even have been a few hours ago.
Whatever the case, here are some symptoms you should take very seriously.
Do not delay in contacting an emergency vet. Seconds can save lives.
This is not an exhaustive list. Any unusual behavior should be treated as an emergency.
* Vomiting
* Diarrhea
* High body temperature
* Stiffness
* Abnormal reflexes
* Low blood pressure
* Hyperventilation / rapid breathing
* Rapid pulse
* Seizure
* In advanced poisoning cases, even heart attack, body limpness, coma, foaming at the mouth.
For your information
Hydrogen peroxide can be found in pharmacies, at 3% concentration. If you can only find something stronger, dilute it with a carefully measured amount of distilled water, which you can also find in a pharmacy (or at a gas station - it's also sold for topping up older car batteries).
If you know something that can make this article better, please leave a comment and I'll research it and add in my findings. Thanks!
Public Comments
Posted by Laila on
May 19 2023, 09:48 pm.
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Salt water works too