Dog gets emergency treatment after wolfing down Easter eggs

Bruce also wolfed down several bars of dark chocolate in the early Easter feeding frenzy, which pet emergency experts Vets Now say could have cost the dog its life.

Owner Alison Rothery, from Fordingbridge, New Forest, said: “We had the Easter chocolate high up in the larder, right at the back and actually on a shelf above, where we thought he couldn’t possibly have reached.

“But I came down to find Bruce’s bed full of Creme Egg wrappers and chocolate bar wrappers. We must have left the door ajar and he’d obviously sniffed his way in, stood up and helped himself.

“He actually didn’t seem out of sorts, just a bit over-excited, probably because of all the sugar. But when I realised just how much chocolate he’d eaten I knew I needed to get help.

“The Creme Eggs were obviously a concern, but I was more worried about the dark chocolate, as I knew that could be worse.

“And although this was first thing, I couldn’t be sure if he’d just eaten them or he’d had them earlier in the night and he’d had them in his system for hours.”

Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine which is poisonous to dogs. The amount depends on the type, with dark chocolate the most toxic.

It mainly affects the guts, heart, central nervous system and kidneys and common symptoms are vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, hyperactivity and seizure.

Ms Rothery took Bruce to the Vets Now Salisbury clinic, where he was given emergency treatment.

The chocolate wrappers and packaging eaten by Bruce

Senior vet surgeon Dave Hollinshead said: “While Creme Eggs are not particularly high in theobromine, dark chocolate is and it was clear Bruce had ingested a toxic amount.

“After discussing the situation with his owners, our team in Salisbury gave Bruce an injection and he brought up a lot of chocolate and quite a few wrappers.

“Thankfully, after further checks, we were able to allow him home with a prescription of activated charcoal which helps to absorb any toxins left in the system.

“Easter eggs are obviously a big favourite at this time of year. But while they are a nice treat for adults and children, they are a real hazard for pets, so do please take care.”

Ms Rothery praised the vets for a “brilliant job” and called on other owners to take precautions.

She said: “We’re taking absolutely no chances now. Ever since it happened, we’ve been putting any chocolate in the fridge and that’s where the Easter eggs will be going from now on.”