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Susan Ruth

Blog entry by Susan Ruth

If your pet consumed the chocolate less than two hours ago, your veterinarian may induce vomiting in your dog and give them several doses of activated charcoal, which works to move the toxins out of the body without being absorbed into the bloodstream. Sweet enough to settle my dog ate epsom salt sweet tooth without being too much. Please call your vet and tell him how much he ingested, how long ago, the type of chocolate and the weight of your dog. If your veterinarian instructs you to give hydrogen peroxide, they will tell you how much to give your dog. Ultimately, the average protein bar will not kill your dog or do any significant damage. Protein bars may provide ample energy when needed, but your dog shouldn’t be nibbling on them or sharing them with you. Thank God for protein bars! However, the theobromine content makes these protein bars highly unsuitable for your fur baby, and consumption may cause mild symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting, but seizures and death are worse-case scenarios.

However, it is a very concentrated form of sugar that can cause side effects in dogs within ten minutes to an hour of consumption. Sometimes, however, depending on the type of chocolate, the amount eaten and the size of the dog, only mild symptoms are seen. If your dog eats chocolate, you should monitor them closely and seek veterinary attention if they show any symptoms, or if they are very young, pregnant or have other health concerns. First of all, if you think your dog ate chocolate, never wait for warning signs since they may take 6 to 10 hours to show and the dangerous sickness usually starts before these signs are visible to us. So, even if your dog ate a small piece of chocolate, keep a close eye on them for any symptoms. So, keep your protein bars to yourself; don’t leave that treat hanging around as a temptation for your body pet because even though some protein bars are safe for dogs, you never know which contains a toxic ingredient for canine companions. However, if there is a Fido in the home, a protein bar is not one item you want to leave lying around untended.

If you want to avoid sugar-laden muffins, a muffin is an easy snack to grab on the go and can be full of a variety of unhealthy ingredients, but it’s worth it to avoid them. Chocolate can be extremely toxic to dogs. So let’s start with a bold and clear statement: dogs should never eat chocolate, be it white, milk or dark. However, as soon as you realize that your dog just ingested a lot of chocolate, call your vet and explain the situation. Otherwise, your vet may decide to have you give him/her some hydrogen peroxide to make him/her throw up. Large amount of Hydrogen Peroxide or giving Hydrogen Peroxide that is not the 3% concentration can cause severe irritation to your dog stomach that can lead to secondary medical conditions. The curious nature of dogs is adorable, but it may lead them to eat and touch unseemly things. This is a good question, considering that the curious nature of our pet dogs always pushes them to find things in the most bizarre places. So if you didn’t find wrappers or evidence that chocolate is missing, it can be several hours after your dog ate chocolate before you notice signs.

You may notice small pieces of chewed plastic in the vomit or stools. Inhaled toxins may cause breathing difficulties or loss of consciousness in dogs. Chocolate can cause restlessness, vomiting and diarrhea at moderate doses. This common household substance can cause vomiting by irritating a dog's digestive tract. How do you induce vomiting in an emergency dog? And other surprising dog nutrition facts. Monitor your pet for the next twenty-four hours, but typically, you will know in six to twelve hours if your dog has overeaten chocolate for their weight. If the vet has deemed the situation to not be an emergency, they will likely just instruct you to monitor your pet closely. The vet may advise you to feed your dog some home-cooked food like skinless chicken, boiled potatoes, and rice. Only then can your vet diagnose the severity of the poisoning and know whether your pet needs immediate treatment. I certainly do. And, even though chocolate is harmful to dogs, you can give your dog a treat that tastes and smells almost like chocolate. And cocoa is a go-to additive for protein bar brands because it makes an incredible flavor and, therefore, great sales. This one is a no-brainer; every dog owner worth their salt knows that chocolate or other byproducts of cocoa can be deadly for dogs.