Forumites and their Dogs

[SeattleLionsFan]

Avocados, raisins, onions

Avocados huh? shadow used to eat avocados whole. He'd puke the pit back up later. What a dummy.

[Tony G]

Notes on Chocolate Toxicity in Dogs
by Bonnie Dalzell, MA The following information is taken from: Kirk and Bistner's Handbook of Veterinary Procedures and Emergency Treatment (6th edition) (a very useful book):
Chocolate - active ingredient = theobromine:

• The half life in the dog is 17.5 hours
• The Toxic dose in the dog is 100-150 mg/kg.
  • A kilogram (kg) = 2.2 lbs.
  • A milligram(mg) = 1/1000 of a gram
  
  

So for a 50 ln dog a toxic dose would be roughly 2.2 grams (2200 mg) of pure chocolate.
However the concentration of theobromine varies with the formulation of the chocolate so:

• Milk chocolate has 44mg/oz (154mg/100gm): toxic dose for 50 lb dog - 50 oz of milk chocolate.
• Semisweet chocolate has 150 mg/oz (528mg/100gm): toxic dose for 50 lb dog - 15 oz of semisweet chocolate
• Baking chocolate 390mg/oz (1365 mg/100gm): toxic dose for 50 lb dog - 5 oz of baking chocolate

Thus a dog eating one oz of baking chocolate would have to eat almost 3 oz of semisweet or 10 oz of milk chocolate to get the same dose of theobromine.
The theobromine in candies consisting of chocolate that is coated over some other substance - as in filled candies and chocolate coated dried fruits, etc will be more dilute than that in pure chocolate bars and solid chocolate candies.
Obviously the chocolate in milk chocolate is quite dilute and this is why many dogs can eat a piece here and there and seem not to show toxic effects, how many dogs would get ahold of 50 oz at a time? This is not true of the more concentrated forms however. Dr Sue Bank's experience was that she had two dogs, a 95 pound one and a 60 pound one. Thye got ahold of 2 one pound bags of Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate pieces (a bag each). The 95 pound dog survived but the 60 pound dog ingested a toxic dose.
The problem with feeding a dog milk chocolate as a treat is that it develops a liking for chocolate and since dogs do not seem to be as sensitive to bitter tastes as humans - it may then eat the more concentrated, and thus quite toxic, baker's chocolate if it gets a chance or it will consume a toxic amount of milk or semi-sweet chocolate if it can get into a improperly stored supply.
Treatment which is best administered by someone with medical training follows the same strategy as treatment for caffine overdose:

• Support Respiration
• Support cardiovascular function, control arrhythmias, control electrolytes and acid-base balance.
• Control CNS excitation.
• Emesis
• Gastric lavage
• Cathartic
• Activated charcoal

Administration of an activated charcoal slurry is a major component of the treatment and needs to be administered by a veterinarian - it is not a home treatment.

[Malto Marko]

I'd stop giving them to her.

Grape and raisin toxicity in dogs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wow, I had no clue. She is the only dog that would eat them. All my other dogs didn't like them.

When sitting watching TV and munching on grapes, as with most foods, she will sit there and beg. She is really good about not begging when I tell her to stop but, we play catch with the grapes. She usually gets 4 or 5 when this has been done but, I concur, no more grapes for doggie.

That's what I like about this place. You can teach an old dog, new tricks.

[Tony G]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysKAVyXi0J4&feature=related"]Seeing my dog the day I got back from Afghanistan - YouTube[/ame]

[WingsFan]

Buster did not like the deck covered today with light snow. He really has a hard time with the ground on his paws when its cold, he looked up at me like WTF, I said its not my fault!?

[Tony G]

what happens when engineers own dogs...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PcL6-mjRNk"]Jerry needs no help playing with his ball. - YouTube[/ame]

[-Deborah-]

That's awesome.

[Tony G]

Note: This machine performs splendidly with a dachshund. It may not be able to function with a Lab or Golden's level of dog slobber on a tennis ball. The physics of the tennis ball change dramatically when it is a spheroid of slime impregnated fuzz

[Malto Marko]

Note: This machine performs splendidly with a dachshund. It may not be able to function with a Lab or Golden's level of dog slobber on a tennis ball. The physics of the tennis ball change dramatically when it is a spheroid of slime impregnated fuzz

Not to mention the fact that the marks left on the wall will surely make the Mrs. insist that contraption goes to the garage.

This guy is a heck of an engineer, though. That is a pretty cool gadget he built.

[DanO]

SWEET!

[-Deborah-]

This is in a similar vein...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNvjtyUh2OM"]Clever dog plays fetch with himself - YouTube[/ame]

[-Deborah-]

This is in a similar vein...

Clever dog plays fetch with himself - YouTube

Difference is, I think this dog is trying to teach his owner what he should be doing lol...

[bimmer84]

Cute little guy. He probably wonders why he ended up with such a dunce for an owner.

[-Deborah-]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNpeTCEPrRk"]Oskar the Blind Kitten and His First Toys - YouTube[/ame]

[Tony G]

That's neat.

Nominations are now open for the best Pet Movie ever. Perhaps it should be Dogs in one category and other animals for a second.

I can't recall any movie about a cat though