My Chihuahua ate Chocolate! I dont know what to do?!

Question
i have a 2-pound Toy Chihuahua and she ate a Chocolate protein bar the other night and she has a few of the symptoms like thirst and peeing irregularly. I don't know if the chemical thing effected her. I need your help!!!

Answer
Hi Desiree,

Anytime you think your might be having a health care emergency with your dog, writing to an Internet help line, and waiting for an answer is the wrong thing to do. Even if it's an after hours emergency, many animal hospitals have a doctor on call. Your first response in an  emergency is to call your regular veterinarian.

Symptoms of chocolate poisoning include vomiting and diarrhea, restlessness and hyperactivity. Symptoms will progressively get worse from restlessness to irregular heartbeats and muscle twitching. Frequent urination is common, a direct side affect of the toxin in chocolate. If your dog is still showing symptoms, you need to have her examined by a your vet.

With chocolate poisoning, the amount and kind of chocolate the dog has ate matters. In small quantities, milk chocolate is the mildest, while baking chocolate and dark chocolate are the worst, as far as being toxic to dogs. Given your dog's tiny size, no amount of chocolate is good for her, and you need to take steps to prevent your dog from getting ANY chocolate.

Best of luck,

Patti