first aid on a distressed dog?

[Robbi]

thanks for that GSB, 400 grams is quite a lot of chocky, i wonder what 2 squares of dairy milk weighs ?

anyway, no-one can dispute that chocolate IS bad for dogs in LARGE quantaties.

what would the symptoms of Theobromine poisoning be ?

 

[greensurfingbear]

never seen it myself but I've had chats with mates in the animal biz that have. After chatting with them my lab ain't allowed near the stuff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobromine_poisoning

 

[Badger90]

It's interesting that the dog that was stressed was given chocolate and recuperated, not something most dog owners would even consider doing, but then again how do you prove it was the chocolate that did it?

Personally i wouldn't give chocolate to a dog, mine knows it isn't allowed any full stop, i can leave it lying about and he wont touch it, but an animal that is used to certain titbits ( chocolate, i have known idiots to feed their dogs chocolate as a treat ) can easily fall prey if the dog finds some in the future ( outside, kids drop it, dog eats it )

As for the OP, well done mate, hopefully the dog calmed down

 

[johnnythefox]

i must admit to getting quite attached to the dog in the 1/2 hour or so i was looking after her.

 

[Andy T]

Keeping the dog calm and still probably solved the problem it was obviously panicing over losing its owner and was overheated. Brian Plummer always told me that when a dog was overheated the best course of action was to cool it down as quickly as possible.

 

[Tengu]

it was suffering from being a greyhound. very highly strung animals

 

[johnnythefox]

it was suffering from being a greyhound. very highly strung animals

someone else said that on the hill yesterday,i was surprised i didnt realise that dogs would get that emotional.

 

[Bushwhacker]

The top teeth at the back of the mouth don't look too good.
Unless it's a trick of the light.

 

[_mark_]

can you please show me where you get that information from ?

genuinly interested as i have a sight hound

My vet. (Sorry already been answered) maybe it was dog chocolate?

 

[Nonsuch]

I always thought milk chocolate OK in small quantities, dark chocolate absolutely not

 

[Hun7er]

I always thought milk chocolate OK in small quantities, dark chocolate absolutely not

yep thats what i was told because when i was at my mum's last xmas our dog ate 2 chocolate oranges and all the tin foil(FYI he does get fed lol) when my mum took him to the vets in the village he said it would take alot of milk chocolate to make a dog sick but the high coca content in real chocolate is very dangerous. Anyway back to the thread I think you were spot on m8 you got the dog to rest tried to give it water and to calm it down, well done.

 

[slowworm]

Are the photos of the dog in question? It looks more like a lurcher than a greyhound to me. They can be very nervous as well, so what you did was best, just try and clam him down and offer a little water. Personally I'd avoid chocolate as you don't know what it's already eaten. Lurchers are prone to chasing after things so he's probably just exhausted from chasing a rabbit or squirrel around for half an hour or so.

 

[Husky]

Well done and thank you!
Did anyone mention that chocolate is bad for dogs?
Sorry, I just want to add that when one of my dogs was less than a year she ate a bar of dark chocolate. A call to the vet and she asked what type of chocolate and how much?
Around 70 grams of 70% dark. She did a calculation and said that was about three times the limit. Bring her in and we'll make her puke.
When I got there her heartrate was high and rising. Appearantly teobromin gives the same reaction as caffine poisoning. Most milk chocolate today has very little of anything exept sugar

 

[jojo]

By Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM, About.com Guide
See More About:

All About Chocolate Toxicity > What makes chocolate toxic

Animals often have a "sweet tooth" too
Just like their human counterparts, pets, especially dogs, can crave the delicious goodness of chocolate. While recent studies have shown that chocolate may be beneficial for our health, it is important to know that chocolate can be toxic, and sometimes even fatal, for animals.

Dogs are most commonly affected, due to their ability to find it and the common 'sweet tooth' they seem to have. It is important to remember that cats and other species are susceptible to the toxic effects of chocolate, too.

What makes chocolate toxic, anyway?
Chocolate is made from the fruit (beans) of the cacao tree. Theobromine, a component of chocolate, is the toxic compound in chocolate. (Caffeine is also present in chocolate, but in much smaller amounts than Theobromine.) Both Theobromine and Caffeine are members of a drug class called Methylxanines.

Theobromine and caffeine effects on the body:

* Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulant
* Cardiovascular stimulant
* Increase blood pressure (mild)
* Nausea and vomiting

Are some chocolates more toxic than others?
Yes. Unsweetened (baker's) chocolate contains 8-10 times the amount of Theobromine as milk chocolate. Semi-sweet chocolate falls roughly in between the two for Theobromine content. White chocolate contains Theobromine, but in such small amounts that Theobromine poisoning is unlikely. Caffeine is present in chocolate, but less than Theobromine.

Quick Guide for Theobromine levels in different types of chocolate:
From The Merck Veterinary Manual, here are approximate Theobromine levels of different types of chocolate:

* Dry cocoa powder = 800 mg/oz
* Unsweetened (Baker's) chocolate = 450 mg/oz
* Cocoa bean mulch = 255 mg/oz
* semisweet chocolate and sweet dark chocolate is = 150-160 mg/oz
* Milk chocolate = 44-64 mg Theobromine per oz chocolate
* White chocolate contains an insignificant source of methylxanthines.

As an asides, I am glad I found this. I suffer from Atrial Fibbrilation and that just led me to find out that theobromine is a heart stimulant, in the same way that caffeine does, I am not supposed to take caffeine, but no-one told me before that theobromine could also be bad for AT. I am going to check it out.

 

[wattsy]

they're like thoroughbreds highly strung and can be quite nervous it was probably stressing over losing its owner, my dogs hate being out of sight of me or my family members. my older lurcher looks exactly like that around bonfire night and new years, with violent trembling on top of it (hates fireworks)

 

[Lee Wright]

As a dog lover and a brother )) of two sighthounds (deerhound and collie X whippet) thankyou for taking the time and effort. My mate did the same thing last year and got the attatchment that you mentioned, two months later he's got a jack russel!

So... you thinking of dog ownership now? Even though I've got a collie X springer I think sighthounds are some of the most loyal and loving pets you can have, they will lounge around all day until you take them out, plenty in the rescue places too

 

[Opal]

We had a dog once, we called her Chocolate because it was always Rowntrees.

 

[Black Sheep]

I once played silly Bu99ers trying to catch a stray Doberman in the field behind my parent's. After trying to bride it with food I gave up and just shouted SIT and it did so I just walked up to it and put a lead on it

Sometimes we just forget the basics.

Richard

 

[Caboose]

I was always taught chocolate kills dogs by my parents. Better safe then sorry. You can buy specific chocolate made for dogs though that isn't comprised of the same ingredients. I've smelt it and tasted some, and its not like a normal chocolate taste, but it shares sime similiarities. But the chances of you having it on you when a situation like this happens = zero. A rich tea biscuit or something would probably cheer it up. Nothing too sugery.

 

[santaman2000]

A couple of years ago I came upon a dog and owner in distress. I was on my on the road when I saw a man (obviously a serviceman) wearing exersize clothing and walking the opposite direction with a large black German Shepherd over his shoulders. He had gone for a run and taken the dog with him. Between the Florida heat, her heavy black coat and the physical activity she collapsed. I turned around and offered to give them a ride back to his home. When we got there he got her inside into the air conditioning and let her rest until she recovered but it could have been far more serious. My vet has told me of cases where the dog needed an IV immediately. Heat exhaustion or heat stroke can be just as serious with dogs as with humans. Some breeds are more prone than others. Obviousy heavy dark colored coats don't help but there are other breed traits that meke them vunerable. Short snouted breeds and/or big chested breeds (Boxers, Bulldogs, Mastiffs, etc.) have problems also.

My Wolf/Malamute mix was an extremely tough dog (she lived to the age of 17 and was mostly healthy til the last few months) but when she got older the Florida heat was unbearable to her and I had to keep her mostly in the air conditioning during Summer. I love the dogs I have now but I'll never be able to replace her. She was utterly convinced that the only reason she existed was to be with me.