Dog saved by vets after eating seven chocolate Easter eggs

Owner Katrina Gordon had arranged a display of chocolate for her 3-year-old son, Leo.

It consisted of seven Easter eggs and other bars nestled in the back of a toy tractor and covered with plastic.

But while the pair were out, Golden Labrador Holly ripped through the plastic and devoured nearly every piece of chocolate.

Thankfully, the family was able to take Holly to an emergency clinic in their hometown of Belfast, where veterinarians administered medication to encourage vomiting.

The family is eager to raise awareness of the dangers of leaving chocolate around dogs at Easter.

Katrina said, "We’d got him a toy tractor with a trailer, and I’d filled it with seven Easter eggs and chocolate.

“I put clear wrapping over the top to cover it and then had to pop out with Leo.

“Holly is a typical Labrador, mad about food, but she’d never got into chocolate before.

"My husband Michael was on his way home, so I didn’t think there would be a problem."

Holly showed no immediate effects, but Katrina, who has training in animal care, knew the situation was serious.

“I’ve got qualifications in animal care and that just reinforced what I knew about the dangers of chocolate for dogs,” said Katrina.

“When I thought about the huge amount she’d eaten, I was in shock.

“I told my husband Michael not to waste a minute, but to get her to the vets immediately as it could go seriously wrong.”

As their own veterinary practice was shut over Easter, Michael rushed Holly straight to Vets Now, where she was treated as a matter of urgency.

Chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. Darker, purer varieties of chocolate tend to have the highest levels of theobromine, but it’s also found in milk chocolate.

It mainly affects the intestines, heart, central nervous system and kidneys, and can lead to increased heart rate and seizures.

Veterinary Nurse Emma Black from Vets Now Belfast said, “Although Holly was still bright and alert when she came in, there was definitely concern.

“The risk factors can rise due to the type and amount of chocolate and Holly had clearly ingested quite a lot.

"We have medication that can make a dog sick within minutes and that brought up the chocolate she’d eaten.

“We did follow-up checks and were happy to allow her home to be supervised.

“If your dog does eat chocolate you should contact your vet as soon as possible, giving information about the dog’s weight.

"And keep any wrappers if possible to help the vet work out whether your pet has eaten a toxic amount and how to treat them.”

Thankfully, the immediate treatment saw Holly make a speedy recovery and she didn’t have any long-term effects.

“I wish I hadn’t left Holly alone for those 10 minutes, but it just shows how quickly things can happen,” said Katrina.

“Owners should definitely be aware of the dangers and we’re so thankful Vets Now were there when we needed them.”