My dog ate chocolate and is now throwing up blood. Is this serious?

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.

I am sorry Chico is sick. Chocolate at high doses can cause sever gastric upset. I am concerned that the continued vomiting will cause dehydration and issues with kidney function. I would recommend taking Chico to the vet for medications to stop the vomiting and rehydrate him. Also I would start an over the counter anti acid to help calm down his stomach. You can try a bland diet of boiled chicken and white rice once his vomiting has stopped. I hope that helps and Chico feels better soon

It sounds as Choco is suffering from a gastrointestinal condition, possibly an infection. it could also be due to ingestion of a foreign body material. i would recommend taking him to the vet URGENTLY, he will need to be checked first, if the vet thinks it's a simple gastrointestinal infection he will need an anti vomiting injection, antibiotics and a special food for a few days in order to get better.

It's best to take her to the vet considering the amount of chocolate ingested is unknown and she was vomiting (an early sign of chocolate toxicity). It's also concerning that she ate the wrappers, because these can cause problems in the intestines as well. The vets will be able to monitor Rane for further signs of toxicity and give medication as necessary to keep things from getting worse. I hope that helps and all is well with Rane.

Thank you for contacting PetCoach with your question about Prince. I'm quite concerned about him, and do not think he can wait until Friday to see the vet. He should see a vet today. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. I'd also see if you can borrow money from family and friends. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ I hope this helps!

I doubt the number of chocolate chips in 1-2 chocolate chip cookies would be enough to cause chocolate toxicity, however any rich food can potentially trigger vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. If he seems otherwise fine you can monitor him during the day: I would only allow him to drink small amounts of water at a time and would not recommend feeding until this evening. If he vomits again, or if he has more diarrhea that has a red tinge to it I would recommend seeing an emergency veterinarian.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Chocolate is toxic to dogs, and the severity is dependent on the amount of chocolate eaten. If you can determine the type of chocolate (white, milk, dark, etc.) and the exact amount (number of ounces or grams), then you can call your local 24 hour clinic and ask if that amount is toxic or not. If it is, then you will need to get Vito to throw up, and then depending on what is thrown up and how much chocolate was ingested, IV fluids, and medications, might be required. Chocolate toxicity causes vomiting, diarrhea, tachycardia (high heart rate), arrythmias (Abnormal heart beat rhythm), tremors, seizures and death, often in that order, depending on how much was eaten. Best of luck with Vito, hopefully it wasn't too much chocolate.