The PDSA has warned pet owners of the dangers of chocolate poisoning after a Chihuahua needed life-saving treatment.
Vets at Gillingham PDSA Pet Hospital rushed two-year-old Bailey in as an emergency after he tucked into a chocolate Easter egg. They gave him treatment to induce vomiting in a bid to stop any more of the toxins being absorbed.
PDSA vet teams treat hundreds of chocolate poisoning cases in their pet hospitals every year, and admit the problem worsens over Easter. In severe cases, chocolate poisoning in dogs can cause fits and even death. The higher the cocoa content of the chocolate, the more dangerous it is, so dark chocolate poses the biggest risk..
Senior vet Soo Ming Teoh said: “We estimated that Bailey had eaten about half an Easter egg, which is an extremely dangerous amount for a dog of his very small size, therefore we knew he was at risk of serious disturbances to his heart rhythm or even seizures.
“Thankfully he was brought in very quickly and we were able to give him life-saving treatment before too much of the toxin got into his system. He needed close monitoring and intravenous fluid support due to an increased heart rate, likely caused by the amount of chocolate he’d eaten. But after a few hours of observation and treatment he was able to go home with instructions to keep a close eye on him overnight.”
In severe cases, chocolate poisoning in dogs can cause fits and even death. The higher the cocoa content of the chocolate, the more dangerous it is, so dark chocolate poses the biggest risk to pets.
PDSA is also warning pet owners about other popular Easter foods that can be toxic to pets, including hot cross buns as well as the dangers of some spring plants at this time of year, such as daffodils and lilies.
PDSA vets advise owners to store chocolates and other potentially poisonous foods in the same way as medicines when they have pets in their household – safely and securely.
