[Nettles]

There is a guide somewhere and i think in relation it is 8 squares of cadburys for a JRT. Though we work on the none is best principle, Pip prefers shredding the wrappers anyway. Don't forget it is toxic to humans too, 22 pounds will kill the average human.

Uh oh.. If I'm not here after Christmas, you'll know what happened

 

[Blitz]

I would be interested to know just how many dogs that do consume a lot of chocolate actually get ill. It seems that the more experienced dog owners on here have frequently had dogs steal a lot of chocolate with no ill effects. I have smaller dogs now and they have never had chocolate so I would be wary.

Why does the vet have to make the dog sick, why does the owner not just make the dog sick instead of wasting valuable time (and money) going to the vet if that is all that is needed. When I was working at a vet we always gave owners instructions over the phone to make a dog vomit if it had eaten something dangerous. I have to say chocolate was never mentioned though.

 

[Nettles]

I would be interested to know just how many dogs that do consume a lot of chocolate actually get ill. It seems that the more experienced dog owners on here have frequently had dogs steal a lot of chocolate with no ill effects. I have smaller dogs now and they have never had chocolate so I would be wary.

Why does the vet have to make the dog sick, why does the owner not just make the dog sick instead of wasting valuable time (and money) going to the vet if that is all that is needed. When I was working at a vet we always gave owners instructions over the phone to make a dog vomit if it had eaten something dangerous. I have to say chocolate was never mentioned though.

I suppose part of it would depend on the owners. I wouldn't even attempt to make Phoebe sick myself unless it was an absolute emergency, but I'm sure there's lots of people experienced and confident enough to do it themselves at home.

 

[labradrk]

I would be interested to know just how many dogs that do consume a lot of chocolate actually get ill. It seems that the more experienced dog owners on here have frequently had dogs steal a lot of chocolate with no ill effects. I have smaller dogs now and they have never had chocolate so I would be wary.

Why does the vet have to make the dog sick, why does the owner not just make the dog sick instead of wasting valuable time (and money) going to the vet if that is all that is needed. When I was working at a vet we always gave owners instructions over the phone to make a dog vomit if it had eaten something dangerous. I have to say chocolate was never mentioned though.

I have to say that in one of the vets I worked in I believe in this particular vet, admitting a lot of the dogs for chocolate ingestion was money making. TONS of chocolate related admissions at this time of the year. Fair enough if the dog had consumed enough dark chocolate for toxicity to be an issue, but that was rarely the case. Just panicked owners freaking out because their dog had eaten a Toblerone or whatever, then putting the dog through induced vomiting (which some mug has to clear up) when in fact the dog would probably be fine. That'll be £350 please........merry Christmas!

Never saw a dog actually ill from chocolate.

 

[Blitz]

I suppose part of it would depend on the owners. I wouldn't even attempt to make Phoebe sick myself unless it was an absolute emergency, but I'm sure there's lots of people experienced and confident enough to do it themselves at home.

I am sure you would manage. I think owners rely far too much on the vet nowadays and vets do not seem to expect owners to be so hands on. The advice we used to give was a lump of baking soda or some strong salt water. I have some icelandic salt that acted as an instant emetic when I sprinkled it on my food! so that would be my first choice.

 

[MiffyMoo]

I suppose part of it would depend on the owners. I wouldn't even attempt to make Phoebe sick myself unless it was an absolute emergency, but I'm sure there's lots of people experienced and confident enough to do it themselves at home.

I think if I tried to stick my fingers down Dex's throat, I'd be in danger of losing them

 

[Nettles]

I am sure you would manage. I think owners rely far too much on the vet nowadays and vets do not seem to expect owners to be so hands on. The advice we used to give was a lump of baking soda or some strong salt water. I have some icelandic salt that acted as an instant emetic when I sprinkled it on my food! so that would be my first choice.

Oh ok, I thought it was a finger down the throat job :Vomit

 

[Nettles]

I think if I tried to stick my fingers down Dex's throat, I'd be in danger of losing them

I'd probably make myself sick quicker than Phoebe

 

[Siskin]

I have to say that in one of the vets I worked in I believe in this particular vet, admitting a lot of the dogs for chocolate ingestion was money making. TONS of chocolate related admissions at this time of the year. Fair enough if the dog had consumed enough dark chocolate for toxicity to be an issue, but that was rarely the case. Just panicked owners freaking out because their dog had eaten a Toblerone or whatever, then putting the dog through induced vomiting (which some mug has to clear up) when in fact the dog would probably be fine. That'll be £350 please........merry Christmas!

Never saw a dog actually ill from chocolate.

Whoa, £350, no wonder my vet drives a big expensive car

 

[labradrk]

Whoa, £350, no wonder my vet drives a big expensive car

I hated this practice, only worked there for 6 months and saw some very dubious things!

 

[Blitz]

I hated this practice, only worked there for 6 months and saw some very dubious things!

I worked for a vet with those principles, it is depressing but not very common I hope.

 

[stuaz]

Growing up, one of my dogs around this time of the year would be loving life. He would open up the various chocolate tins to get to the small chocolates inside. He would take one and run off and eat it. It wasn't behaviour we encouraged but naturally over the years he managed to get a few. He was never ill from it. We never took him to the vets for it.

He died of old age at the grand age of 16.

I am not encouraging people to go feed there dogs chocolates or any human food in fact but it's all about common sense and using your brain.

My current dogs love sharing a cookie with me every now and then, and I haven't been to the vets to get there stomach pumped or whatever... but then that is my mentality in general when it comes to animals and vets.

Depending on the symptoms will determine how I react. Prolonged or severe symptoms will often warrant a closer eye and probably trip to vet.

 

[Kimmikins]

Not long after Sara came to stay, she managed to scoff half a box of Baileys choccy. My birthday choccies!

Tim phoned the vet, who did some quick calculations and said she should be fine...that she'd probably eaten far worse during her life on the streets. They told us what to expect and to monitor her. I was at work so Tim got that job! She was a bit hyper, had a grumbly tummy and the worse farts EVER! But she was fine the next morning, no ill effects.

A couple of years ago she managed to pick a time when we were saying goodbye to a relative, and in that short time (like, seconds) she managed to make a dent in the gingerbread. She nearly got the mince pies but was too clever for her own good and flipped the tin and it landed upside down and foiled her thieving attempt, thank god! She is a ridiculous thief, and Christmas is her most successful time...we try very hard to Sara proof everything but with so much food around and people not used to her thievery she nearly always gets something. She's already got a biscuit and a slice of banana loaf this year!

 

[labradrk]

I worked for a vet with those principles, it is depressing but not very common I hope.

I don't think so, but it put me off having anything to do with the profession. Too much gets swept under the carpet and as you say it's VERY depressing. I have friends that are still vet nurses and all I hear is similar

 

[shadowmare]

I would be interested to know just how many dogs that do consume a lot of chocolate actually get ill. It seems that the more experienced dog owners on here have frequently had dogs steal a lot of chocolate with no ill effects. I have smaller dogs now and they have never had chocolate so I would be wary.

Why does the vet have to make the dog sick, why does the owner not just make the dog sick instead of wasting valuable time (and money) going to the vet if that is all that is needed. When I was working at a vet we always gave owners instructions over the phone to make a dog vomit if it had eaten something dangerous. I have to say chocolate was never mentioned though.

When we attended puppy classes with Axel, two different lab puppies came in with stories of chocolate poisoning after Christmas. One of them stayed at the vets for 2 nights. My coworker's young JRT died after going through some chocolate his kids got over Easter...
I personally wouldn't know how to force my dog to vomit at home.

 

[Ceiling Kitty]

This has been said a billion times on this thread and the last but the toxicity of chocolate ingestion depends on the size of the dog and the type of chocolate.

I have not induced vomiting in every dog I've seen this week that has eaten chocolate. For some the dose ingested has made it unnecessary.

 

[mrs phas]

This has been said a billion times on this thread and the last but the toxicity of chocolate ingestion depends on the size of the dog and the type of chocolate.

I have not induced vomiting in every dog I've seen this week that has eaten chocolate. For some the dose ingested has made it unnecessary.

and surely the type/grade?
for example
chocolate coins and advent calendars have very low grade chocolate, actually taste more like doggy chocs in days of yore
thunder, both last year and this [yes really i thought id found a foolproof place] showed us how much of a fool she isnt, by peeling the foil off of every coin in the bag she managed to consume, no vet visit needed, not only is it low grade, but shes 40kg so a small bag of coins isnt going to do much
had it been my 80% proof Ecuadorian chocolate, well even one of the little packets [20g] wouldve sent me to the phone at the very least

not that im saying ANYONE should be complacent when it comes to things like chocolate, grapes, mince pies et al
Please dont forget alcohol as well,
lots of us will have house fulls and many people have a tendency to put their beer, wine, spirits on low tables, or the floor near to where they're sitting, it only takes a split second for a dog to have a slurp or two

 

[El Cid]

From a quick google you can find people who believe the earth is flat..................

So what would you say?

A bar of chocolate is like a bacon sandwich to humans, or full fat milk?

 

[Guest]

I would be interested to know just how many dogs that do consume a lot of chocolate actually get ill. It seems that the more experienced dog owners on here have frequently had dogs steal a lot of chocolate with no ill effects. I have smaller dogs now and they have never had chocolate so I would be wary.

Why does the vet have to make the dog sick, why does the owner not just make the dog sick instead of wasting valuable time (and money) going to the vet if that is all that is needed. When I was working at a vet we always gave owners instructions over the phone to make a dog vomit if it had eaten something dangerous. I have to say chocolate was never mentioned though.

Turkey baster with peroxide is the preferred method in this house In fact, many moons ago when I was live-in help for a vet, that's what he did to the family dog who had stolen a fruitcake full of raisins. Works like a charm :Hungover:Yuck

 

[Tamberlane]

If you want a real life example of what happens of the dog ingest to much chocolate go to the hho forum and look up viszlak i think the user name is..il have to check the spelling.
Her two beautiful vizlas(so not small dogs) stole a lot of cooking chocolate and one ended up hospitalised for several days and was touch and go...its a toxicity.if the dose is high enough it can causes seizures and death.
Most dogs wont get a toxic dose thankfully but why take the risk when you can just make them throw it up.

Vets tend to use apomorphine for vomiting.it tends to be safe as it is is either injected or given in the eye...means you dont risk fluids going down the wrong way as you try and force feed a dog to make it vomit....or run the tisk of alkaline burns on the oesophagus like with dilute bleach. salt overdoses dont always work and can make the dog ill if large amount are ingested and not thrown up....so its not exactly risk free to tell the owner to give home remedies and its not actually that easy to make a dog vomit unless they are nauseous already...

Yes many people can be trusted to make their animal vomit at home...but not everyone can.
Given ive heard of someone being told to wash out a dogs mouth with water after they licked a toad by the vet...and said owner stuck a hose down the poor creatures mouth causing water to pump into the lungs ...drowning the animal...I can see why people are wary of giving advise over the phone now...not everyone is good in a crisis.