Mary Allen
Beware of the risk of poisoning: if a dog has eaten chocolate, it needs your cool head. Don’t know what to do? A few tips on how to help your loved one.
The fastest route to the vet is best: You must act, especially if a very small dog is eating chocolate. Tip: Don’t hesitate if you catch your darling doing it. Chocolate poisoning is more dangerous for your four-legged friend than it first appears.
If the Dog Nibbles Chocolate: Off to the Vet
Does your darling not yet show any symptoms of chocolate poisoning? Fine! But no reason not to do anything if your dog has eaten chocolate. On the contrary, now you have to be quick: At first, the substance theobromine contained in the cocoa bean spreads through the animal’s body unnoticed. It’s true, small amounts of chocolate aren’t necessarily bad for a large dog. But don’t count on it. In any case, you should ensure that as little theobromine as possible gets into your dog’s bloodstream – you have a maximum of two hours for this. See a veterinarian as soon as possible!
Make the Dog Vomit: Then It is Correct
If you have a long way to go to the vet, try to get the dog to vomit – but only if you are sure that your dog has eaten chocolate and is at risk of chocolate poisoning! With other types of poisoning, vomiting can worsen the symptoms. Before moving on to how to make a dog vomit, here are a few key points to keep in mind:
● Only induce vomiting when the dog is awake and conscious.
● Do not induce vomiting if your dog shows symptoms of disorientation or balance problems.
● Never induce vomiting after the dog has eaten harsh or corrosive materials, including bleach, cleaners, fertilizer, laundry detergent, nail polish, chlorine, and others.
● Do not induce vomiting with salt, as there is a risk of salt poisoning
● Do not induce vomiting with home remedies such as milk, oil, or egg white
● Always be very careful and always take the dog to the vet afterward.
If you are sure that your dog has eaten chocolate, it is best to mix some mustard with water, raise the upper jaw with one hand, press the lips to the teeth and feed the liquid with a disposable syringe or similar device. Then stroke the neck and keep the mouth closed. If your dog licks its lips, it has probably swallowed the emetic and in the best case scenario it will throw up. Tip: Give your darling plenty to drink after vomiting. This is the only way the dog can compensate for the loss of water in the body caused by the poisoning. Important: Vomiting does not replace a visit to the vet!
Fatal Sweets Eaten: React Calmly to Tension
When a dog has eaten chocolate, it will appear tense. Theobromine triggers strong inner restlessness in your four-legged friend. You should therefore remain calm and not panic. Just imagine you drank a few too many cups of coffee yourself. It is similar when a dog has eaten chocolate – with the serious difference that there is a risk of death for the four-legged friend.
Don’t waste too much time trying to treat your four-legged friend yourself. You cannot judge how severe the poisoning is. A vet can stop the theobromine much quicker and treat your dog appropriately. First of all, however, the doctor tries to stabilize your four-legged friend and remove the poison from the body.