Pet of the Month: "Prince"
"Prince", an 11 month old Welsh Corgi cross pup presented to us at Drovers Veterinary Hospital, on 8th January with a history of vomiting for 24 hours. He had been to the emergency vet the night before but continued vomiting during the night and was quite unwell when he came to us. It was obvious "Prince" needed supportive care with pain relief and intravenous fluids but would also need x-rays to rule out a bowel obstruction. When x-rays were performed an interesting radiodense (a white shadowing) object was apparent in the intestinal tract.
The owners agreed to go ahead with exploratory surgery. By this stage "Prince" was passing a very foul smelling bloody diarrhoea and we were not sure whether there would be severe damage to the intestines. The obstruction was found easily but there was some bruising damage to the intestine and the object was tightly wedged into the small intestine. The object with quite sharp edges turned out to be a stone from a neighbouring garden.
"Prince" stayed in hospital another 2 nights following surgery on fluids, antibiotics and pain relief, but was getting so cheeky and well by the third day, it was decided to send him home. The next challenge proved to be getting tablets into him once he had recovered. It seems a nasty sharp stone was easier to swallow than several small tablets.
We wish "Prince" and his family all the best for complete recovery and no mischievous actions in the future.
Dr. Merryl Gamble and the team at Drovers Veterinary Hospital
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Although chocolate may be one of your favourite treats, never feed chocolate to your pet. It is poisonous for them! It contains substances called theobromine and caffeine (methylxanthine alkaloids) which are also contained in coffee, tea and some over-the-counter stimulants.
Chocolate poisoning is most commonly seen in dogs because of their habit to ingest food rapidly and they often have a “sweet tooth”. We see a higher incidence in puppies and young dogs, probably because they tend to ingest large amounts of unusual foods.
Chocolate poisoning can also affect cats, birds, rodents and reptiles however we see these cases much less frequently.
Symptoms of Chocolate Poisoning
The toxins in chocolate can affect you pet’s digestive system, nervous system and cardiovascular system.
Digestive system
- Vomiting & diarrhoea (2-4 hours after ingestion)
Nervous System
- Excitation/restlessness (increased body temperature, alertness)
- Muscle rigidity & tremors
- Seizures
Cardiovascular
- Increased respiratory rate
- Increased heart rate
- Reduced blood pressure (hypotension)
- Progresses to cardiac failure leading to weakness, coma and death can occur within 12-36 hours after ingestion.
The toxins are found in the highest concentration in cooking chocolate and dark chocolate, and there are lesser amounts in milk chocolate. There is almost no toxins are found in white chocolate.
Diagnosis
Chocolate poisoning can look similar to many poisonings or other conditions. Serious poisonings such as that caused by strychnine, amphetamines, pesticides, and some rodenticides can cause similar signs.
If you know your pet has eaten chocolate, contact us immediately, especially if your pet is showing any of the symptoms above. If possible, bring any vomit to the clinic as well, since this may aid in rapid identification of the toxic substance. Your veterinarian will need to examine your dog's nervous system and cardiac function carefully. He/she may want to run some blood tests to check for blood sugar levels and rule out other diseases. Since this poisoning progresses rapidly, signs may need to be treated symptomatically until a laboratory diagnosis is confirmed.
Treatment
There is no antidote for chocolate poisoning. Your veterinarian may use drugs to induce vomiting if the chocolate was consumed within the previous 2 - 4 hours or they may even need to administer a general anaesthetic in order to pass a tube into the stomach to wash
Once the chocolate is out activated charcoal treatment may be given to prevent any toxins remaining from being absorbed.
Pets that show more severe symptoms may need more specific medications in order to control the seizures and to prevent heart failure.
The expected course of chocolate poisoning is 12 to 36 hours depending on the dosage and effectiveness of treatment. Prognosis is good if the chocolate is removed within 2 to 4 hours of ingestion. Prognosis is guarded in animals with advanced signs such as seizures and serious heart dysfunction. So, please remember to keep your chocolates, cakes and chocolate-coated goodies safely away from your pets. Stick to healthy treats if you want to reward your special furry or feathered friend.
Have more questions?
Our state-of-the-art facility offers separate consultation rooms for dogs and cats, a fully equipped in-house laboratory, and specialised suites for surgery and dental care. For those tender moments, our uniquely designed Grief.
