Need HELP NOW

Ok, how much chocolate is deadly to dogs? Yesterday my dogs ate 1/2 pound chocolate bar (it was out of their reach but they jumped on the counter since they couldn't reach it by just putting 2 feet up).

So anyway I don't know if all 3 ate it or just one. My oldest GSD was acting weird yesterday before she got groomed. Tonight she ate really slow (she normally eats slow but tonight was SUPER slow). All night she's just been laying on the couch and just got down to one of the dog pillows. She's normally a really lazy dog but tonight it's really bad.

I tried calling the vet but they're closed. The emergency vet sucks - charged me close to $2,000 to tell me my golden wasn't have seijers (sp?) and over $1,000 to tell me our cat was dead (didn't make any attempt to revive him). So I just don't trust them plus they don't let you stay in the room w/ the dog so who knows what they're really doing.

So I don't know if she was the one who ate it but if it was her and she ate all of it, what can I do? Is it too late now?

what type of chocolate was it???

Symphony bar - milk chocolate w/ almonds & toffee

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/why-dogs-can-t-eat-chocolate/page1.aspx

Link stolen from one of the stickys on the food board.

Thanks!!! I'm going to hope that it's just her stomach hurting IF it was even her that ate the choc. The other 2 are fine.

Ok, well I had to take her to the emergency vet since I took her temp and it was 105.5.

They told me that 105 is deadly - nice freak out for me.

They want to keep her until Wednesday morning. Estimate $3,000 - $4,000 - had to put down 1/2 deposit.

Needless to say I'm freaking. She's our oldest - will be 6 on 12/1. I had to sign DNR forms - which put me beyond freaking for how to/if they should try to save her life and/or heart compressions or to open her chest.

I've had to leave my other 2 there overnight before - one for seisures (sp?) and the other when she was attacked by a Pit and they had to do spinal surgery - never had to sign that before.

Sorry I'm rambling. Please keep Shelby in your prayers. They said basically it's a waiting game if she'll make it.

Oh - forgot. Incase you're wondering what they're doing, not that i'm 100% sure.

They have her hooked up to heart monitors, ekg monitors and some other but I don't remember names. Iv's trying to flush her system. Tons of bloodwork. Should get the first set of results back around 1 a.m.

That is so scary. I'll keep Shelby in my thoughts.

((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))

how scary! shelby is in my prayers (((hugs)).

Please do keep us up to date on how she's doing. We've got a couple Chaz dogs who need good thoughts today now . Sending good vibes your way.

She's made it through the night but she's still in cridical cond. I forgot to post that her heart rate was more than 3 times the normal speed and that was a major concern last night. It's still up this morning. Her blood pressure is and was normal so that's good. They're going to check her urin this a.m. Her temp spiked over 106 last night so they're worried about brain damage. Her white blood cell count is very high so now they're thinking an infection and that this might not be from chocolate. They gave her something last night to drop her temp - some meds and it worked, but it's going up again.

They've checked her over and can't find like a sour or abcess that might be causing the infection so they're telling me that they're just not sure what it could be. They've been keeping a close eye on her lungs but so far they're good.

Now I'm just waiting for my vets office to open so he can read over what they faxed him with everything they've done, etc so I can see what he wants to do.

I can't go see her until 10 a.m. I've thrown a fit with them there and over the phone because my son really wants to see her before school and they're just not willing to let us in to see her - now this I HATE!

I can understand them trying to keep you away until 10. There is a LOT that goes on in an animal hospital.

Also - you goingn to see her - as MUCh as you really want to - they want to keep her condition stable and someones with the crital care patience they get very excited to see their owners..

Also, there are alot of other animals being admitted into the hospital.

We dont like to bring people downstairs to see their animals if say, there were surgeries going on at the same time, or if there was an animal down there being PTS or if there is another critical care patient near by.

We'll usually accomidate as best we can though..

so what they are doing is understandable - but I can also understand your end of it. If it was my Riot I'd want to stay with him the whole time

Wow, it doesn't sound like any chocolate eating case I've ever heard of... I don't think half a pound is nearly enough to seriously harm a full grown GSD, either... Usually hyperactivity is a very bad sign in a dog that's eaten chocolate, achy belly and a little lethargy is a normal side effect of a non-deadly dose. I think. I'm only experienced with one crazy chocolate eating dog.

Whatever it is, good luck!!! I hope she feels better, and I hope you don't have to chop off your arm and leg to get her better

Please keep us up dated !!! The chocolate may have been a blessing in disguise ... without it being eaten , you may not have noticed her illness !

have they checked her for Tick diseases?? hope you get good news!
diane

I took her to my vet and he ran a lot more tests and did x-rays. She has an enlarged splein (sp?), her liver is pretty small, hip displasia and something with her back.

Her heart rate and temp are back to normal. I was able to take her home and they gave me some pills that if her temp spikes it is suppose to bring it down but also said I can give it to her when I got home just to help. Then antibiotics - they don't know where or what type of infection it is. My vet said they could run tests and tests and could run up a bill into the high thousands and still not know. So they gave me a general one hoping it'll help.

She still has her iv port in just incase. I have to take her temp every 4-6 hours. She ran around when she got home with the other dogs but she's still not very active. Not chasing the cat like normal and she's panting a lot.

Yea - I think the ER just heard chocolate and went with that and didn't bother to look at anything else. My vet was actually shocked that they didn't do x-rays. Oh well - she was so bad last night that they really needed to worry about her heart and temp.

Ticks - they're not really around where we live but she does take Advantix and they checked her over about 10 times looking for everything and couldn't find anything on her skin. They were thinking she might have had an open soar or something when the white blood cell came back so high.

I also understand the rules and reasoning behind the emergency vet but it's hard when your baby is in there. That's most of the reason why I took her to my vet, then I could be with her as much as I wanted. But it's easier for a vet to accomidate than an ER where they have so much going on. Plus it was surgery day at the vet so they didn't have a lot of people coming in so that made it easier to be in a room with her.

I hope she will continue to improve. I know how hard this must be. I'm sending good thoughts and wishes. God Bless!

also will keep her in my thoughts,,,as for the ticks, I never find ticks on my dogs and every single one of them (4) have tested high for anaplasmosis (equii erhlichia),,just keep it in mind.

I would be very concerned about the enlarged spleen, a pooch that I have petsit for for 7 years on a daily basis, just passed away from an enlarged spleen that was ready to burst..keep an eye on the spleen thing!
Diane

Please continue with up dates !!! Thoughts are with you !

Jynx - thanks so much for the heads up! My vet just kind of brushed it off as though it was no big deal. Maybe it's because there was so much going on and he's planning on talking to me about that next week. I'll call him in the morning. I SO don't need any more surprises and I'd rather take care of stuff like that BEFORE it becomes an issue. I'll also ask him to run that test about the ticks.

Today has been her first normal day. She's chasing the cat and trying to eat him so I know she's back to normal.

I'm new to all these medical things w/ the dogs - so far all healthy. Is it normal to put a dog on Hip Disp. meds? They were talking about she'll be on them for the rest of her life, everyday.