HAZEL AND CHOCOLATE TOXICITY

This is Hazel

Hazel, a curious little dog with an adventurous streak, decided to help herself to a special treat, her dad's old gold dark chocolate mint bar, one he’d been saving for weeks. It was too good to resist, and Hazel didn’t hesitate to munch her way through half of it before her dad walked in.

When he saw what had happened, his heart sank. He knew that chocolate was dangerous for dogs, and without a moment to lose, he scooped her up and rushed straight to the veterinary clinic.

Our team was ready for action. We immediately induced vomiting, ensuring Hazel would expel as much of the chocolate as possible. Hazel was then given activated charcoal to bind any remaining toxins and prevent them from being absorbed into her system.

Hazel was hospitalised for the day, where her heart rate was checked regularly, and IV fluids were administered to help flush out the toxins and keep her hydrated.

By the end of the day, Hazel was back to her mischievous self, looking a little tired but safe and sound. Her dad gave her an extra cuddle, relieved she was okay but promising not to leave any treats within Hazel's reach in the future!

As for Hazel, she definitely learned her lesson some things are meant to stay off-limits, no matter how tasty they smell!

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Unforunately, in our furry hounds, chocolate is not so great. It contains a substance called theobromine which acts as a stimulant in dogs causing their heart rate and metabolism to speed up. It also contains caffeine, which is a further stimulant. Different chocolate types contain variable amounts of caffeine and theobromine. The white chocolates have less and the dark chocolates have more.

Signs that your dog may be unwell include vomiting and restlessness or agitated. There may be evidence of opened chocolate wrappers! You may be able to feel a fast heart rate in your dog by gently feeling behind their armpit. in severe cases they can have seizures (fits).

We do recommend seeking veterinary advice if you think your dog has ingested chocolate. Please make note of how much your dog may have eaten and the type of chocolate, a photo of the package can be useful. We can then calculate if the dose is toxic and if it has been eaten recently we may be able to induce vomiting to stop further absorption.