19 Ryde Road, Pymble, NSW 2073
Pet of the week is Lilly
By John Morgan | Dated October 26, 2017
Lilly managed to get hold of some dark cooking chocolate while her family wasn’t looking. Dark chocolate is especially toxic to dogs. All types of chocolate contain cocoa, and cocoa contains the compound theobromine. The darker the chocolate, the more theobromine it contains. Humans are able metabolise theobromine much faster than dogs, and as a result, it can build up to toxic levels in a dogs system at an alarming rate.
Lilly was driven to Gordon Vet within an hour of eating the chocolate. She was given some medication to educe vomiting and was then fed some liquid Activated charcoal to prevent the absorption of any further toxins. Normally this is a relatively tidy process; however, Lilly had other ideas. She and the nurses were covered in the stuff! It was bathes all round once they were finished!
The symptoms of chocolate toxicity can include restlessness, nervousness, trembling, vomiting, diarrhoea, and increased heart rate, seizures and possibly death. Treatment is dependent on many factors including the size of the dog, the amount eaten, type of chocolate and how long ago it was ingested. If you suspect that your pet has consumed any chocolate, it is important to call the vet and then get them to the hospital as soon as possible.
Written by John Morgan
John first started with Gordon Vet Hospital back in 2004 as a weekend Nurse while studying Veterinary Science. When he graduated he worked in Goulburn for a few years before spending 2 years doing locum work through Canada. John returned to Australia in 2013 and came back to Gordon Vet Hospital. John completed his postgraduate studies in Small Animal Practice in 2013 and in 2015 gained Membership to the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Small Animal Surgery.
