My dog ate brownie mix. What are the signs and what should I do?

It's difficult to know how much the actual cocoa content is in this, but brownies tend to be more concentrated with cocoa powder, which is concerning for chocolate toxicity. It also depends on the size of the brownies. In order for you to determine the potential for toxicity, I recommend you estimate the amount of cocoa powder potentially ingested and use the chocolate toxicity calculator at this link: http://veterinaryclinic.com/chocolate/calc.html Signs of chocolate toxicity can be vomiting, hyper-excitability, tremors and seizures. If you notice any of these signs, then it's best to take her to a vet for treatment/monitoring as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done at home for this. It's best to make sure she has plenty of water and that you check her every four hours for any signs of toxicity. If she is better within 12 hours, then I would not worry about any signs of toxicity. I hope that helps and all is well with her.

The effects of chocolate on a pet depends on a few factors: how big the pet is, how much they ate, and how dark the chocolate is. The darker the chocolate, the higher the concentration of theobromine, the ingredient that pets are sensitive to. Cocoa powder can have up to 10 percent theobromine. It's all dependent on how dark the chocolate is, where the cacao beans are grown and the brand. According to Hershey's, the theobromine content for their different types of chocolate is as follows. 1½ ounce Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar - 74 milligrams 1½ ounce Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Bar - 184 milligrams 1½ ounce semi-sweet chocolate chips - 165 milligrams 1½ ounce unsweetened baking chocolate - 466 milligrams 1 Hershey's Kiss - 8.2 milligrams 2 tbsp chocolate syrup - 70 milligrams Theobromine is digested and metabolized very slowly in dogs. The alkaline substance increases the heart rate and slows blood pressure. It also increases urination, causing dehydration. In addition, many digestive problems can occur. Symptoms to watch for generally occur in the first 12 hours. They include: Diarrhea Excitability Increased urination Irritability Muscle tremors Rapid pulse Restlessness Vomiting Left untreated, the dog can develop seizures and die from ingesting too much chocolate. This is where it is important to know exactly how much your dog has eaten. It's important to contact your veterinarian if your dog eats chocolate. In mild cases, you'll be advised to induce vomiting within the first two hours and then watch for signs of chocolate poisoning. If anything alarming occurs, seek veterinary care immediately. If veterinary care is necessary, charcoal is used to absorb as much theobromine as possible. The stomach may be pumped to remove additional chocolate before it digests. The heart is closely monitored and arrhythmias will be treated if they occur. IV fluids may be ordered to prevent dehydration. Seizures will be treated with medications. According to the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, ingesting 20 milligrams of theobromine can cause mild poisoning. Ingesting 60 milligrams can lead to seizures. A lot of this depends on the dog's size.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Oliver. Since he is a large breed dogs and he ate brownies instead of pure chocolate, the risk of chocolate toxicity is less. However, high fat and high sugar foods can trigger pancreatitis. This is potentially serious condition that results in significant vomiting and diarrhea. He will need to see his veterinarian if his diarrhea worsens or he develops vomiting. In the meantime, I would withhold his dinner tonight in an effort to rest his gastrointestinal. Be sure to offer plenty of water so that he does not become dehydrated. I hope this information helps!

There's not much to be done but treat the symptoms after more than 12 hours. A visit to your vet would be prudent if your dog ate a large quantity and is having tremors/twitches or an irregular/fast heartbeat. If he is acting normally otherwise, withhold food for 12-24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet (boiled boneless, skinless chicken breasts and plain white rice) in small, frequent amounts. Feed until the stool is normal, then transition slowly to the regular diet. If the diarrhea doesn't resolve, see your veterinarian.

It's difficult to know how much the actual cocoa content is in this, but 2oz of dark chocolate would only be enough to cause mild signs of toxicity, which would be hyper-excitability. It's likely that this will not cause any issues at all with Henry, so I don't see the need to rush to the vet just yet. Signs of further chocolate toxicity can be vomiting, tremors and seizures. If you notice any of these signs, then it's best to take Henry to a vet for treatment/monitoring. Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done at home for this. It's best to make sure he has plenty of water and that you check him every four hours for any signs of toxicity. If he is still normal after 12 hours, then I would not worry about any signs of toxicity. I hope that helps and all is well with Henry.

Poor pup! Depending on how big your dog is, it's hard to say whether toxicity from the chocolate in the medication will be a problem. As far as the laxative itself, this will probably cause diarrhea but would not be expected to cause any serious toxicity issues. The safest bet would be to have your dog seen by a vet right away, but if this isn't possible, you will need to monitor her closely for the next 24-48 hours. If you see symptoms such as tremors, seizures, or repeated episodes of vomiting, then this would be an emergency and there would be no other option except getting her to a vet immediately.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Cassidy. If the chips were dark chocolate this is more worrisome, but 2-3 milk chocolate chips should not be problematic. I worry about the bread itself being potentially high in sugar or fat. This can cause significant gastrointestinal upset or even pancreatitis. Signs of chocolate toxicity are typically agitation, muscle tremors and vomiting/diarrhea. I would contact your veterinarian when they open, seeing as they know Cassidy's full medical history. They will tell you if he needs to come in or of he can be monitored at home. Good luck!