5 month old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel gets into some chocolate - panic?

[tomfin]

Hey all,

First post, but looking for some advice after Poppy (our KCCS puppy) managed to swipe two chocolate bars off a coffee table while I was out of the room not half an hour ago.

It was a Rocky Caramel bar and half a P-P-P-Penguin biscuit, which I dragged out of her mouth before she finished it.

It's not seeming like a lot of chocolate (being milk-chocolate, and just chocolate coated bars rather than a solid bar), but she's quite young so I'm concerned. She's seemingly going to sleep on her bed at the moment so perhaps I'm fussing a bit over nothing, but if anyone's got some sound advice, please let us know.

I'm reading on the web that it's probably not a fatal dose but I should expect some sickness & diarrhoea in the next 24 hours.

Thanks in advance,

Tom

[Dax]

Some dogs (most of the ones I owned) never showed any affect. If you want you can try to feed some yam or pumpkin if you are worried about it.

Just monitor for signs of distress. Rapid breathing, etc.

[tomfin]

Okay, I'm keeping an eye on her just now.

She seems more or less alright, though there was a little bit of twitching around the lips and legs for a few minutes in the last half hour there, which may be just because she's asleep. I'm not sure what her normal heart rate is as we've had her less than two weeks.

I've attached a picture (just taken), hoping it'll give some idea of the size of her. Excuse the pink collar, it came with the dog.

Thanks for the advice.

[Deidre]

I would say that the twitching is due to her having a good ole' dream, lol.

I really wouldn't worry about it, it sounds like she only ate a small amount of it and I don't think it is going to make her sick, I bet she enjoyed every morsel though! I am sure that this is a one-off and that she isn't going to get the opportunity to sample chocolate ever again, lol.

She looks adorable, got any more photos of her?

[tomfin]

Well, it's been a few hours and she seems alright still, and it's pretty late at night so will clear off and check again in the morning, which isn't too far away. I'm not sure if it's my imagination but she seems to be breathing a little more deeply than I remember, but I'm probably just being paranoid.

No more chocolate for her ever I suspect. I knew it was bad for dogs in general, so I assumed that it might be Very Bad Indeed since she's quite young. I was mostly worried as we've just got her and so haven't registered to a vet and whatnot, plus it was late at night here so no chance of phoning one for advice. And she's not strictly speaking my dog, so chocolate doggy death would be swiftly followed by my own, in a painful and unusual way.

Here's another picture anyway. Sleeping on cushions seems to be a favourite pastime; wikipedia's suggested that's what they were invented for. I'm sure I'll add more when I suss out the gallery-thingy.

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

I think she'll be fine. She's so pretty!! Please provide us more pics!!

[sassynan]

My dogs have never had a problem with chocolate. I think I read somewhere that the dark baking chocolate is the most dangerous for a dog.

[bernicesmama]

she is beautiful!

I have heard of and seen many dogs eat milk chocolate without any problems. It's the darker chocolate that you really have to watch for.

congrats on getting a new pup, can't wait to see more of her.

[~Astral~]

I wouldn't worry too much hun. She seems ok. I too heard that darker chocolate is what you've got to watch out for. My oldest Dog keeps pinching chocolate and he's had no bad effects. I too worry when he gets hold of chocolate but he's fine. But if your concerned, contact your nearest Vet for their opinion.

Give her plenty of water to drink to flush out the chocolate. Expect diarrhea though.

[Deidre]

Dark cooking chocolate is more concentrated so it is riskier but I wouldn't risk any kind of chocolate, it is just not worth it.