WHat are the symptoms of chocolate poisoning? THe reason i ask is that my springer stole alot of food yesterday (god knows how) which included a whole packet of rich tea biscuits, 1/2 packet digestives, coc chip cookies and a big bar or plain chocolate (not the 70% kind.) Strangely enough he wasn't sick! The first thing i noticed was that he was incredibly bloated all round his stomach and chest, but seemed ok in himself, a little puffed, but hungry and active. He had bad diarrohea (sp) at 9pm, 2pm and 9am this morning. He drank masses over night and was panting alot. I thought he had just been raiding the bin as he does on occaisions. On discovering the empty packets that he had hidden i finally realise the full extent of what he had done and took him straight to the vets. His temperature was normal, heart rate 120 and everything else seemed ok. She gave us some canikur biscuits for the diarrhoea and said just a very bland diet today. He seemed ok for the rest of the morning. When i came back from work he looked bloated again, and was panting a bit. He is sleeping a lot, but this could just be down to the stodgy bland diet. He seems happy enough in himself and his stools are firming up. (thank god!) Should i be worried?

I would have thought that he would be over the danger period by now. There's a good link here :

http://www.parkvets.com/petsandvets-chocolate.html

Daisy

A few years ago now i had a miniature poodle, one evening I came home from work to find him shaking and panting and looking really sorry for himself, My first thought was get him to the vet quick..., I ran upstairs to get a jacket and there on the hall landing were 5 of my sons empty easter egg boxes...the ittle bugger had eaten them all...and there contents, milk tray, smarties etc.  Anyway the vet saw him and strangely enough this was just about the time when it was realised chocolate was toxic to dogs, as the vet said he didnt know himslef until a couple of weeks previous to his, The vet was not sure himself how to treat him!! Just said keep an eye on him and dont feed him for 24 hrs...and Bingo he was absolutely fine the next day....not so my son on finding all his eggs had gone when arriving home from school...he still wasnt fine the next day  Hee Hee

I does sound as if it is working its way throught the system! Theobromine is a stimulant and causes the heart rate to increase, this in turn can cause the other effects, so a good way to tell is to check the pulse if you can. easiest place to take it is in the 'armpit'.

Sounds like he's had a lucky escape! Spaniels are so greedy aren't they, my Yankee stole a chocolate croissant out of the shopping bag once! We looked it up on a website and decided he shouldn't have eaten enough to do any harm, so just kept an eye on him. The symptoms said they included hyperactivity - bit difficult to diagnose in a spaniel!!! :-D