I read on a message that you shouldn't allow your dog to have chocolate my dog eats it all the time if it drops its gone. What does this do to the dog as he never seems unwell? I've been trying not to let him have any since I read it although with 3 kids and a dog who is better than a dyson its not always possible although I have told the kids not to give him anything now

Chocolate is pretty lethal to dogs. The cocoa bean, from which chocolate is made, contains a drug called theobromine. This is very similar and related to caffeine, which chocolate also contains. The toxicity of chocolate for dogs is due to its theobromine content. If a dog suffers from chocolate poisoning they get severe abdomen pains, vomiting, diarrhoea, sometimes blood is passed. Also, the dog may have difficulty standing/walking, and drool saliva.
I have had to deal with several cases of it and it is not pleasant. If the dog eats a substantial amount if chocolate (or any at all), it is best to induce vomiting yourself with soda crystals for instance which cause instant vomiting but ar ofno harm to the dog. (edited to say..probably best to get the dog to the vet for them to do it..I am used to doing it, but if you dont know what you are doing you could make matters worse)

If I were you I would not allow your dog to eat any more. Although people often give their dogs a little bit or a few scraps..it is very dangerous.

The odd piece of snaffled chocolate is not going to harm most (average) sized dogs - HOWEVER chocolate - and dark chocolate in particular - should not be given on a regular basis.

Our old lab lady (she's now 13) had a "chocofest" two or three years ago now - scoffed 2 advent calandars (silver paper & all), pack of Christmas tree choccies, twixes & cadbury flakes - she was off colour for 2 or 3 days - but had she eaten the same amount of dark chocolate, it could have been a different story.....

Tell the kids to give him carrots!!!

Margot

Or doggy chocs :)

Kath

My children know chocolate is dangerous to dogs so they give Toby carrots,
Heidi

slightly of the subject but i must tell you this because its funny!, we used to have a little jack russell called tuppence when i lived at home with my mum and one christmas when all the prezzies had been opened and we had had our christmas dinner on returning to ther front room tuppence was in her basket with her face to the wall, back to everyone, in a defensive way, i went over to her to stroke her and she growled at me (this dog had never growled at anyone in her life) i told my mum and she came over and tuppy was as stiff as a board trying to stop us invading her space, well, when we managed to stand her upo and turn her round (her growling the whole time ) she had a massive piece of my dads thorntons toffee jammed between her teeth!, it was stuck fast, she had bitten down on it and jammed her teeth together!, i had to hold her while mum prised it out of her teeth(she didnt give it up without a fight)but she was very grumpy about having to give it up! huffy for the rest of the day!

apparently baking chocolate is the most dangerous of all.....

And dont forget cocoa powder (the traditional sort rather than drinking chocolate) it is also very toxic to dogs - there was a case a couple of years ago when a Golden Ret. raided a kitchen cupboard and snaffled a whole package. It was touch and go if the dog whould pull through, dirps for days etc, etc. So keep cocoa in a high, dog proof cupboard.
bye
Gwen

my sisters old lab has always been a chocolate snaffler and she has to be really careful not to leave things. Last christmas he ate a whole box of after 8's becuase the kids didn't shut the door properly. Luckily he was fine.

The same christmas he also destroyed a christmas tree trying to get to a present at the back. Coming down to carnage the next morning my sister was suprised to see the pressies containing food completely untouched - what he'd opened was a load of 'fudge flavoured' hair products!!!!! Needless to say once he'd got it open he was very disappointed and turned his nose up at them!!!!

Hi guys,
Just thought that I's add that the cocoa-shell mulch that you can get for your garden is also highly dangerous. It has very high levels of theobromine in it. (Shame it smells so nice!!)

Cheers
Ali :)