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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by fallsfall on January 17, 2004, at 13:48:42
I think I taught them too well. They really like to eat chocolate. This time they took the new box (8 oz) of Baker's chocolate off my table and ate about 6 oz of it. They are 25 and 32 pounds, and Baker's chocolate is about 10 times as potent as M&Ms.
They were not feeling well in the evening (whining, barking at nothing, growling at each other) and couldn't settle down to sleep, they were also shivering - but the room wasn't cold. When they got me up at 5AM to go out (they never get me up in the night) I found the remnants of the box and it all made sense.
I took them to the emergency clinic (a group of local Vets have banded together and created an emergency clinic that is open when they are closed). Normally a dog's heartrate is around 120. My dogs' heartrates were 180 and 220! But they didn't have signs of arhythmia (fortunately). They admitted both dogs, and will keep them tonight, too. They each have IV drips to help them stay hydrated and process the toxins. They got to eat some charcoal to try to counteract whatever is still in their stomachs and intenstines. One dog got a beta-blocker to bring down her heartrate. The Vet says that they will be OK.
I know that dogs shouldn't eat chocolate, and I know that my dog will take stuff off the table if all the chairs aren't pushed in. But putting all of that together was more than I could do last night. Please try to be extra careful when you are feeling badly yourself. It is so hard to focus on everything that you need to watch for. But it is so easy to make a mistake that could be catastrophic for your pet (or your child).
Posted by Karen_kay on January 17, 2004, at 14:33:34
In reply to My dogs take after me..., posted by fallsfall on January 17, 2004, at 13:48:42
I can't tell you how many times I've come home to find a whole dish of cookies eaten or box of brownies gone. My dog eats chocolate more than I do if given the chance. Luckily there hasn't been any type of side effects. And I've been really good about keeping my goodies in the kitchen and closing the doggie door.
I'm glad your doggies are going to be fine. Maybe you should try to keep the prunes on the table instead? :) What kind of dogs do you have. I love dogs. They're lovely.
Posted by fallsfall on January 17, 2004, at 14:57:42
In reply to Re: My dogs take after me... » fallsfall, posted by Karen_kay on January 17, 2004, at 14:33:34
They are both Cocker Spaniels (but one is an English Cocker and the other is an American Cocker). They are 8 and 10 (I got them 2 1/2 years ago). They sleep on the couch all day. They sleep on my bed with me at night. They are softer and more cuddly than my teddy bear (but don't tell Bear that or he'll be jealous).
The younger one's housetraining is not perfect, so I think that I will NOT leave the prunes on the table. Their favorite treat is the ends that you snap off of the Asparagus.
The unsweetened chocolate is much more toxic than semisweet, which is more toxic than milk chocolate. My dogs have tried the other kinds before... But it really doesn't take much of the unsweetened stuff at all to make them very sick.
Posted by Karen_kay on January 17, 2004, at 15:25:58
In reply to Re: My dogs take after me... » Karen_kay, posted by fallsfall on January 17, 2004, at 14:57:42
My therapist has cocker spaniels. And he told me that, I didn't investigate it. So don't go throwing wild accusations around, OK? Start doing that and I'll have to start calling you Elle. :) Luckily, my dog (a siberian husky) hasn't gotten into any baker's chocolate. He did eat all of my therapist cookies though. I only had a few. Maybe that's a good thing. I need to be in tip-top shape for this beauty pageant.
Posted by deirdrehbrt on January 17, 2004, at 16:10:32
In reply to Re: My dogs take after me... » fallsfall, posted by Karen_kay on January 17, 2004, at 15:25:58
I've had two dogs, one shepherd, and one Black and tan coonhound. My previous therapist told me that I need a dog. Right now, my dog is a cat named Christina. She's a really neat cat, but she's not a dog. I can't hold and hug her the same as I can a dog.
My coonhound was a definite lover of chocolate. She once ate a full pound of lindt truffles. Fallsfall is right though, unsweetened bitter chocolate is really dangerous. It's really important to take care of our animals. It's impossible to protect them from everything, just as our kids will get into things so will our pets. Recognizing that their behaviour is a bit off, and looking into it, that was exactly the right thing to do. Falls fall, you are a good mommy, and I'm certain that your friends will still love you and lick you and run around and sit on your lap when they get home.
Dee.
Posted by tabitha on January 17, 2004, at 18:43:04
In reply to My dogs take after me..., posted by fallsfall on January 17, 2004, at 13:48:42
I'm glad the dogs are OK. Accidents happen, but you handled it really well by noticing something was up and getting them to the doggie emergency room. I wonder if the dogs learned that chocolate isn't really so good to eat after all? Poor pups.
Posted by fallsfall on January 17, 2004, at 20:53:49
In reply to Re: My dogs take after me... » fallsfall, posted by tabitha on January 17, 2004, at 18:43:04
I brought the remnants of the 8 oz of chocolate in a baggie with me to the Vet's. The Vet picked it up, looked at my dogs and said "You'd eat the rest of this wouldn't you?". Brains are not their strong suit - love is. Heartrates are down a bit - not to normal, but better than they were.
Posted by All Done on January 18, 2004, at 9:16:45
In reply to Re: My dogs take after me... » tabitha, posted by fallsfall on January 17, 2004, at 20:53:49
> I brought the remnants of the 8 oz of chocolate in a baggie with me to the Vet's. The Vet picked it up, looked at my dogs and said "You'd eat the rest of this wouldn't you?". Brains are not their strong suit - love is. Heartrates are down a bit - not to normal, but better than they were.
Fallsfall,
I, too, have a dog that cannot claim brains as her strong suit. She wins with her energy. Hey, is anyone else thinking *doggie pageant*? Mine would win, of course, as she is by far the cutest (she's a Cairn Terrier, like Toto).
She once ate a bag of Hershey Kisses, foil and all. She was okay, though.
She also tried to eat $180 in twenties. She didn't get very far with that one ; ).
I hope your cuties are feeling better.
All Done
Posted by fallsfall on January 18, 2004, at 9:42:45
In reply to Re: My dogs take after me... » fallsfall, posted by All Done on January 18, 2004, at 9:16:45
Thanks for all your kind thoughts. They are home now. Patches is trying to chew off her bandage from where they had the IV. So I gave them some new chew toys - a rawhide bone, and a mint Toothcleaning chew thing. She took the bone (she's the alpha), and he was happy with the mint thing. 10 minutes later she is barking at him like crazy. He got her bone, and she wanted it back. So I guess they are feeling OK. Pocket book damage was significant, but not as bad as the last estimate, so I feel lucky there. I'm so glad to have them home.
Posted by gardenergirl on January 18, 2004, at 23:13:30
In reply to My puppies came home, posted by fallsfall on January 18, 2004, at 9:42:45
fallsfall,
I'm so glad they are allright. My dog likes to pull things down from the counter and tables too. Gotta watch her all the time! Or at least keep things neater.Pets are so special. Obviously yours have a wonderful owner who reacted promptly, and now they're okay. They even get new toys! Lucky dogs!
gg
Posted by Angielala on January 19, 2004, at 8:24:18
In reply to My dogs take after me..., posted by fallsfall on January 17, 2004, at 13:48:42
I am so glad your dogs are ok!
Unfortunately an elderly woman I once knew had set mice traps in her house with rat poison. Her poor siamese kitty and poodle both got into the trap. They passed away, together, on the couch. Sooo sad. She blamed it all on herself (GAD, OCD, and at the time, signs of paranoid schiz). It was really hard for her, she didn't even think they would be able to reach thee trap (hidden behind the frige) but i guess rat poison has some sort of sugary attraction to it.
I'm really really glad your dogs are ok! And I'm glad you posted this- it's going to save another puppy out there.
Let us know their progress. What kind of doggies are they (I LOVE dogs!)
~Lala
> I think I taught them too well. They really like to eat chocolate. This time they took the new box (8 oz) of Baker's chocolate off my table and ate about 6 oz of it. They are 25 and 32 pounds, and Baker's chocolate is about 10 times as potent as M&Ms.
>
> They were not feeling well in the evening (whining, barking at nothing, growling at each other) and couldn't settle down to sleep, they were also shivering - but the room wasn't cold. When they got me up at 5AM to go out (they never get me up in the night) I found the remnants of the box and it all made sense.
>
> I took them to the emergency clinic (a group of local Vets have banded together and created an emergency clinic that is open when they are closed). Normally a dog's heartrate is around 120. My dogs' heartrates were 180 and 220! But they didn't have signs of arhythmia (fortunately). They admitted both dogs, and will keep them tonight, too. They each have IV drips to help them stay hydrated and process the toxins. They got to eat some charcoal to try to counteract whatever is still in their stomachs and intenstines. One dog got a beta-blocker to bring down her heartrate. The Vet says that they will be OK.
>
> I know that dogs shouldn't eat chocolate, and I know that my dog will take stuff off the table if all the chairs aren't pushed in. But putting all of that together was more than I could do last night. Please try to be extra careful when you are feeling badly yourself. It is so hard to focus on everything that you need to watch for. But it is so easy to make a mistake that could be catastrophic for your pet (or your child).
Posted by Angielala on January 19, 2004, at 8:25:27
In reply to Re: My dogs take after me... » Karen_kay, posted by fallsfall on January 17, 2004, at 14:57:42
Asparagus? Haha- they have good taste!
> They are both Cocker Spaniels (but one is an English Cocker and the other is an American Cocker). They are 8 and 10 (I got them 2 1/2 years ago). They sleep on the couch all day. They sleep on my bed with me at night. They are softer and more cuddly than my teddy bear (but don't tell Bear that or he'll be jealous).
>
> The younger one's housetraining is not perfect, so I think that I will NOT leave the prunes on the table. Their favorite treat is the ends that you snap off of the Asparagus.
>
> The unsweetened chocolate is much more toxic than semisweet, which is more toxic than milk chocolate. My dogs have tried the other kinds before... But it really doesn't take much of the unsweetened stuff at all to make them very sick.
Posted by Angielala on January 19, 2004, at 8:26:57
In reply to Re: My dogs take after me... » fallsfall, posted by Karen_kay on January 17, 2004, at 15:25:58
Beauty Pageant?? Oohhh, do give details!
> My therapist has cocker spaniels. And he told me that, I didn't investigate it. So don't go throwing wild accusations around, OK? Start doing that and I'll have to start calling you Elle. :) Luckily, my dog (a siberian husky) hasn't gotten into any baker's chocolate. He did eat all of my therapist cookies though. I only had a few. Maybe that's a good thing. I need to be in tip-top shape for this beauty pageant.
Posted by Angielala on January 19, 2004, at 8:32:44
In reply to Re: My dogs take after me... » fallsfall, posted by All Done on January 18, 2004, at 9:16:45
Cairn Terrier! I grew up with three Cairns- I love those dogs! They have so much personality and love to give. And they will eat anything. I can remember my dear Joey going after french fries I took out right out of the oven. Some fell on the floor and he started eating one. Despite the fact that they were REALLY hot, he went on to eat it, grunting and barking at the pain of their temperture. Brains weren't his strong suit, but boy did that dog give me all his love. I miss him so much.
I need a house just so I can get a puppy. Even though I love my cats... I miss my Cairns!
> > I brought the remnants of the 8 oz of chocolate in a baggie with me to the Vet's. The Vet picked it up, looked at my dogs and said "You'd eat the rest of this wouldn't you?". Brains are not their strong suit - love is. Heartrates are down a bit - not to normal, but better than they were.
>
> Fallsfall,
>
> I, too, have a dog that cannot claim brains as her strong suit. She wins with her energy. Hey, is anyone else thinking *doggie pageant*? Mine would win, of course, as she is by far the cutest (she's a Cairn Terrier, like Toto).
>
> She once ate a bag of Hershey Kisses, foil and all. She was okay, though.
>
> She also tried to eat $180 in twenties. She didn't get very far with that one ; ).
>
> I hope your cuties are feeling better.
>
> All Done
>
>
>
Posted by Angielala on January 19, 2004, at 8:34:20
In reply to My puppies came home, posted by fallsfall on January 18, 2004, at 9:42:45
I'm not sure where you are posting from. If from the States, do you have a Petco around you? They make special doggy chocolate chip cookies. I wish I could send your puppies some!
> Thanks for all your kind thoughts. They are home now. Patches is trying to chew off her bandage from where they had the IV. So I gave them some new chew toys - a rawhide bone, and a mint Toothcleaning chew thing. She took the bone (she's the alpha), and he was happy with the mint thing. 10 minutes later she is barking at him like crazy. He got her bone, and she wanted it back. So I guess they are feeling OK. Pocket book damage was significant, but not as bad as the last estimate, so I feel lucky there. I'm so glad to have them home.
Posted by Penny on January 20, 2004, at 8:53:53
In reply to My puppies came home, posted by fallsfall on January 18, 2004, at 9:42:45
Falls,
I don't know how I missed this thread, but wanted to say that I am certainly glad your pups are okay. I've had plenty of scares with my two - not chocolate, fortunately, but one of them chewed on a metal tube of bacitracin ointment one time when I first got her (and I still don't know how she managed to get it from where it was!), and the other has eaten a plastic cup (the tumbler kind like you get at football games), an entire box of heartworm pills, and ant bait. The first two didn't hurt her. The ant bait didn't hurt her either, though when I called the emergency vet, they wanted me to bring her in, but I was babysitting for 4 children under the age of 5 at the time and there was no way I could have taken her in. So the vet had me induce vomiting, but I wasn't sure which dog had eaten the bait, so they both had to suffer the consequences. Everything came out okay, and I try very hard to keep harmful substances and all plastic (!!!) out of the reach of my two dogs now. But when you are in a hurry, or when you don't feel well, or whatever, it's hard to be so cautious all the time. Accidents happen. Thank goodness for animal and human poison control, vets and docs!
P
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