My senior jack Russel ate whole box of after eight mints and now she's been admitted

[ButNotTonight20]

Im absolutely hating myself. I put a load of presents under the tree yesterday from my sister. I thought one of them felt like chocolate but didn't think much of it.

Came home after the school run today and my dog has eaten an entire box of after eight mints!

I immediately phoned the vets but there was no answer and the kids were fighting for my attention and needed dinner so I just got on with all the usual busyness of dinner, bath bed etc with two small boys.

When I finally got them down at 830pm my doggie was starting to seem a little restless so I phoned the vet again who told me to bring her straight down to be admitted, made sick and put on a drip.

I feel so bad for her, she's 13, tiny and terrified of the vets. I know the dangers of chocolate why didn't I see this as a risk to her 😭 I feel so bad about the delay in getting advice.

She’s getting treatment now. That’s the important thing. She’s in the best hands and will soon be back home with you.

After eights don’t have a very high chocolate content she will be fine.

Fingers crossed your wee dog is ok, I'm sure she will be! We had to phone the emergency vets twice for our boy, once was the very first time we had him overnight, before we adopted him - we popped out for ten mins to pick up a takeaway and when we got back we found the remnants of a box of Jaffa cakes that we had completely forgot about at the back of the living room - don't know how he found them as they hadn't been opened!! And the next time was a few months later when he managed to seek out a box of Thornton's chocs I'd gotten for my dads Father's Day present (still don't know how he hunted them down!!) he was absolutely fine both times - a bit hyper for a few hours but we just kept an eye on him to make sure! Hopefully the same for your pup, they'll keep a good eye on him!

Terriers are tough. It could happen to any of us. Sorry you are worried, OP, I'm sure she will be fine. xx

Terriers are determined scavengers, we've fallen foul of our boy's nose and appetite three times now... wedding cake, brownie and a decretive pebble. He felt a bit sorry for himself after his tummy emptying but was absolutely fine, as will your little lady be. Just be sure to give extra sofa cuddles tomorrow 🥰 please don't be hard on yourself, it could happen to any dog owner x

Oh you poor thing!!!

These things happen. A few years ago one of my pugs managed half a mince pie (raisins!!!) and I was worried sick. Told me husband we were through if anything happened as he left it on the floor.

She was OK thankfully. Sending love to you and your pooch

How is she today @ButNotTonight20 ?

After eights don’t have a very high chocolate content she will be fine

Do you know this for sure? Small dog, dark chocolate, an entire box (that you don’t know the size of).

Vets are able to calculate doses and work out if it’s too much. They wouldn’t have treated the dog if she was going to be fine (although having said that, overtreatment is not unheard of because money).

Hope your wee dog is ok o/p. I have a tiny one and am super careful with chocolate as 3 or 4 squares of milk choc is toxic for his body weight, so it would only be a very small amount of dark.

Yes true I dont know the size of the box, but assuming it’s a normal sized box she should be ok but best to be on the safe side. Hope she’s ok op.

Yes true I dont know the size of the box, but assuming it’s a normal sized box she should be ok but best to be on the safe side. Hope she’s ok op

What are you basing your opinion she’ll be Ok on? Veterinary knowledge? Or just a feeling? Because assuming and posting opinion as if it’s fact is misleading and dangerous.

This small dog had a box of after eights and nearly died:
www.vets-now.com/2020/06/dog-after-eight-chocolate/

Dark chocolate is very dangerous, even in small amounts. The o/p’s dog will likely not be fine without treatment, so they’ve done the right thing.

For anyone else who wants proper advice, the vpis run a helpline where they will calculate the toxic dosage and tell you if the dog needs treatment or not.

www.animalpoisonline.co.uk/

I hope she's doing ok

A box of After 8s would barely be a snack for my jack russel. Seriously, they have iron constitutions and if the vet has made her vomit it up, she''ll soon be back with you. Our dog overdid it, even for her, a while back and we had to rush her to the vet for vomitting, charcoal etc. I had to laugh because they rang me after a few hours to say she was fine, feeling a bit sorry for herself but fine. They'd keep her for three days. The next morning they rang to say she'd scarfed breakfast, had a cuddle and a little game and they would definitely NOT need to keep her for 3 days! I picked her up the following morning full of the joys of spring (with a huge vet bill!)

Good luck!

PS Christmas is a nightmare with dogs like that. All my friends have learnt to leave their handbags up high when they come in as otherwise within 5 minutes she's in there snaffling around in case there's the dregs of a biscuit or something!!!

We have experience years ago of a middle aged lab getting up on top of the piano via the piano stool and stealing a large, full box of Thornton's Moments. Apart from the box, everything was eaten, including the foil wrappers. They departed from her body at both ends. The brightly coloured shiny wrappers made it all look very interesting - rather Christmassy! - but she was fine after a couple of days with a guilty expression and sore tummy. It didn't stop her many future attempts at grand theft either.

@bluebluezoo I think @isadorapolly is trying to reassure the OP. No need to be so pedantic. What’s done is done. I work at a vet surgery. We see millions of dogs coming in after having eaten choc and raisins, in bigger doses than those. Yes the vets use a system to determine risks but always err on the side of caution. Pets are often hospitalised to be put on a drip and to be monitored as a precautions. The majority go home ok.
I am not quite sure why on these threads where the owner is already beside herself with worry and, often underserved, guilt there are posters who decide to act out all their righteousness and knowledge. Can it be not left for other more appropriate settings? I wonder...

I am not quite sure why on these threads where the owner is already beside herself with worry and, often underserved, guilt there are posters who decide to act out all their righteousness and knowledge. Can it be not left for other more appropriate settings? I wonder..

Stating there’s not much chocolate in after 8’s and that the dog will be fine is wrong.

O/p’s dog will likely be fine now she has sought vet treatment. I corrected the above post as many people read mumsnet, and if they find the above may not seek treatment for their own dog.

Shit happens, we all know it does, and many many dogs get at things they shouldn’t, because they’re dogs. Poisoning is one of the things that although can be very serious if untreated, if the right treatment is sought the outcome is often great.

Any comments that mean treatment may not be sought needs correcting, imo.

Hi all, thank you for your concern and replies. After a night at the vets she is on the mend but is staying in all day as a precaution. She has been made to sick most of it up and has been given charcoal and a drip to slow any absorption of the rest.

Apparently she is eating and drinking and passing water so it seems she has escaped the worst.

Needless to say I am NEVER putting presents under the tree without checking if they are food first ever again. I also be more persistent about getting through to the vets if they don't answer their phone again.

Our dog celebrated Christmas Eve last year by stealing a couple of Welsh cakes from the side where someone DH had left them. One festive £140 vomit later, she was fine and back checking to see if we'd left the butter out.

Glad your DDog's OK, OP - and it's a timely warning for the rest of us, what with it being the season for chocolate, grapes, fruitcake, etc, etc.

Snap! Came down yesterday morning to almost whole box of after eight wrappers strewn around the livingroom. My dog, cocker spaniel size, had eaten the lot. No damage though - she is sitting here next to me snoozing after her park run today.
I had another dog eat a whole box (24) of Cadbury creme eggs- totally unfazed. This same dog ate a whole roast chicken that had just been taken out of the oven- bones and all. And about 5lbs of sugar when he broke the ceramic jar lid... Iron stomach i guess!

My very naughty greyhound stole a 100g bar of 100% pure chocolate out my husbands office. £600 later she’s fine.

[quote Enrosadira]**@bluebluezoo* I think @isadorapolly* is trying to reassure the OP. No need to be so pedantic. What’s done is done. I work at a vet surgery. We see millions of dogs coming in after having eaten choc and raisins, in bigger doses than those. Yes the vets use a system to determine risks but always err on the side of caution. Pets are often hospitalised to be put on a drip and to be monitored as a precautions. The majority go home ok.
I am not quite sure why on these threads where the owner is already beside herself with worry and, often underserved, guilt there are posters who decide to act out all their righteousness and knowledge. Can it be not left for other more appropriate settings? I wonder...[/quote]
I wish I went to your vets office @Enrosadira After DDog climbed onto the dining room table, knocked a sealed tin OFF the table, causing the lid to come off, and snaffled the lot.... I had 3 separate vets/vet nurses telling me I needed to be careful and more or less making it clear they thought I was negligent. Thank god our "main" vet is a Jack Russell owner herself and we swapped stories of the craziness of how these little monsters can get creative when they need to.

Glad to hear your dog is on the mend, OP.

It strikes me that there may be a need for a 'public service announcement' - if someone gives wrapped chocolates to a dog owner it would be a good idea to let them know it needs to be kept out of the way - unless it's a solid metal tinful. People who don't have dogs may be completely unaware of the toxicity of chocolate.

@ErrolTheDragon

Glad to hear your dog is on the mend, OP.

It strikes me that there may be a need for a 'public service announcement' - if someone gives wrapped chocolates to a dog owner it would be a good idea to let them know it needs to be kept out of the way - unless it's a solid metal tinful. People who don't have dogs may be completely unaware of the toxicity of chocolate.

I always ask when people hand me gifts and say why. I think it's unrealistic to expect gift givers to think of this, but as a dog owner we do need to think about it. It's just bloody difficult to remember every single time!

Most "chocolates" don't contain enough cocoa to be harmful. My ddog at 6 months old ate a whole box of Thornton's and the vet told me not to worry, he's 20kg though which makes a difference. Thankfully he grew out of the stealing stage quickly but still will enjoy a sneaky quality street if offered! (Almost chocolate free). Try not to worry too much, and keep proper chocolates hidden from canines, husbands and kids, they are all for you, you deserve it!

I know a dog that ate a kilo of margarine, a bag of flour...and a TIN. Chewed it up and swallowed several pieces.

One very expensive operation later, he is absolutely fine and still stealing bread from the cupboards.

I hope your dog recovers OK OP, don't be too hard on yourself!

My 45kg dog helped himself to a 360g fruit and nut Toblerone last year. That bar of chocolate cost £253, if I recall correctly.

The vet happily told me that he'd brought up a lot of very sparkly hot chocolate. He vomited all over the floor as I walked him out of the vets and continued vomiting for hours!