10/01/2024
🐾 Chocolate Emergency🐾
Today, we had visitor named Loki who would like to share his valuable lesson about chocolate safety for dogs. Loki came to our ER after getting into some Reese’s chocolate bars—and yes, he even swallowed the wrappers! 🍫🚫
As many of you know, chocolate is toxic to dogs, and those wrappers can lead to serious intestinal blockages. Thankfully, Loki was brought in quickly for evaluation by Dr. Apolo and to induce vomiting. After a quick injection, he expelled not only a lot of chocolate but also 15 candy wrappers! 🎉
We then administered another injection to help stop his vomiting. This method of decontamination is highly effective in minimizing the toxic effects of chocolate, but it’s crucial to act fast—this approach works best within the first few hours after ingestion.
Chocolate toxicity can lead to a range of symptoms in dogs, from vomiting and diarrhea with mild ingestion to severe issues like cardiac arrhythmias and seizures with high levels of toxicity. The severity depends on the type and amount of chocolate consumed:
- Milk Chocolate: Mildest toxicity
- Dark Chocolate: Moderate toxicity
- Baker's Chocolate: Most toxic
If your dog gets into chocolate, don’t hesitate! Contact your local veterinarian or veterinary emergency center immediately for guidance on whether to induce vomiting or seek additional care.
Let’s keep our furry friends safe and chocolate-free! 🐶❤️
