dog eating brownie

My Dog Ate A Brownie! What Should I Do Now?

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Humans love brownies and use them as an occasional snack. But they are very harmful to dogs. If you are thinking “My dog ate a brownie, what now?”, this article will explain everything.

Brownies are bad for dogs because they contain theobromine, which is a compound found in chocolate. Your first step after seeing the dog eat brownies is contacting a vet. If you are not sure, there are a few symptoms of chocolate toxicity you should look for. 

What To Do If Your Dog Eats Brownies?

The first step you should take after seeing your dog eat brownies is to remove them from its reach. This will prevent the dog from consuming more of them. Getting the dog in a safe place will also help.

It would be good if you found out how many brownies the dog ate, and what kind of brownies they were. Look at the ingredients list on the packaging to see if they have listed the type of chocolate included. Look at the “total cocoa solids” on the packaging expressed as a percentage. 

When To Call A Vet

After you’ve gotten the brownies in a safe place, and you have all the needed information, call your vet. Tell them that dog ate brownies and ask for further instructions. They will guide you on what exactly you should do next. If your vet is not available, call the Pet Poison Helpline or an emergency vet in the area.

If you know, tell the vet how long ago the dog ate the brownies. You might also be asked to say what is its breed, age, and size. This will help them calculate the risk of intoxication. In some cases, you will be instructed to bring the dog to the institution.

Should You Make The Dog Throw Up?

Don’t resort to making it throw up if you have just realized that your dog is eating brownies. If a lot of time has passed since then, throwing up won’t help. It might just result in complications. If the dog has eaten too little, throwing up may cause more harm than good.

When you talk to the vet, you can ask them if you need to make the dog throw up. They will tell you if it is needed and how to do it safely.

How Much Brownie Is Toxic To Dogs?

The amount of brownies needed to intoxicate a dog depends on the type of chocolate in the brownie. Besides that, other ingredients will also affect the dog’s reaction. Its size and the number of brownies will also matter. A few other things are important.

If the dog suffers from any medical condition, it will react much worse compared to a healthy dog. Heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and arthritis expose the dog to a higher risk. Older dogs will also have a worse reaction compared to younger dogs.

How Many Brownies Can the Dog Eat?

If the dog ate a chocolate brownie, it depends on what kind of chocolate it is. White chocolate is the safest because it has the least amount of cocoa. Milk chocolate is in the middle and dark chocolate is one of the worst kinds. But cooking chocolate is the worst one because it has the highest cocoa powder content.

The amount of cocoa is important because cocoa contains theobromine, an ingredient toxic to dogs. A dog needs to consume 0.1 ounces to 0.3 ounces of cooking chocolate per pound of body weight to get intoxicated. Usually, one or more brownies will be problematic for a dog.

Signs Of Chocolate Toxicity In Dogs

You can expect the chocolate poisoning symptoms to appear in the first 12 hours since the dog eats a brownie. This is why it is recommended to keep an eye on the dog for a few hours if you suspect it ate brownies. Once the symptoms occur, they can last for up to 72 hours. They include:

  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Tachycardia
  • Uncontrolled urination and thirst
  • Restlessness
  • Seizures and muscle tremors
  • Collapse

Sometimes, dogs will start having diarrhea at night. This might mean it ate chocolate out of the bin. If you notice any of these symptoms, call the vet. You need to start as early as possible with treatment for the best results.

Other Brownie Ingredients Toxic To Dogs

Chocolate is not the only ingredient in brownies that is toxic to dogs. There are a few other things that can harm it.

Xylitol

Brownies are bad for dogs if they contain the artificial sweetener known as xylitol. Only 0.0017 ounces per pound of body weight is needed to cause intoxication symptoms in the dog. Xylitol increases the amount of insulin, which in turn causes hypoglycemia. Around 10-60 minutes are needed for symptoms to show. These can include:

  • Vomiting
  • Lethargy
  • Lack of coordination
  • Trembling
  • Collapse
  • Coma
  • Liver failure

You can notice these symptoms after the dog has eaten something else containing xylitol. This includes sugar-free gum, candy, and peanut butter among other things. Call your vet if you notice your dog having any of these symptoms.

Macadamia Nuts

Another ingredient that may find itself in brownies is macadamia nuts. These little snacks are great for humans but very toxic to dogs. The symptoms of macadamia nuts poisoning start around 12 hours after ingestion. They can last up to 48 hours afterward. Some symptoms are:

  • Vomiting
  • Lethargy
  • Fever
  • Stumbling gate
  • Inability to stand
  • Joint stiffness
  • Muscle tremors
  • Pancreatitis

Macadamia nuts can also be a choking hazard in addition to causing toxicity. Call the vet if you notice your dog showing any of these clinical signs. Sometimes, the symptoms will pass on their own and not cause any complications.

Marijuana

If your dog ate weed brownies, it will feel the effects of the substance much more than a human would. This is because dogs have more cannabinoid receptors in their brains. Some pot brownies don’t have the exact amount of marijuana in the brownie listed. So you won’t show exactly how much the dog had. An important part of marijuana is THC which affects the neural system. So that’s why most of the symptoms are neurological. These include:

  • Loss of coordination
  • Sleepiness or hyperactivity
  • Vomiting
  • Dilated pupils
  • Excessive drooling
  • Leaving odorless wet spots
  • Tremors
  • Seizures

The symptoms will appear around 30 minutes after ingestion. If you notice the symptoms, you should contact the vet.

How To Prevent The Dog From Eating Brownies

We know what happens if a dog eats a brownie, now let’s see how you can act to stop it from it happening.

Store The Brownies

The best way to stop the dog from eating brownies is to get them away of its reach. Get an airtight container and keep it in a place that your dog doesn’t have access to. Getting it high up on a shelf will usually work. You can also put in in a locked cupboard or the fridge.

Monitor Your Kids And Dog

If you are trying to stop the dog from eating something bad, you need to inform the family. Usually, kids will share their sweets with the dog as a sign of friendship and they don’t know what they are doing wrong. Be especially careful around the holidays when relatives and friend come over and want to feed the dog.

Clean Up The Leftovers

Make sure you clean up any brownie leftovers after you are finished eating. Dogs will smell the tasty treat and eat it up when you are not looking. Sometimes, the dog will go through the trash looking for treats and find a tossed brownie. You can put the bins in a secure place where the dog won’t have access. 

My Dog Ate A Brownie – What Now?

In short, when you suspect that your dog has eaten a brownie, the first thing is to remove the brownies from its reach. This will prevent further ingestion. Then, call your vet to ask for instructions on how to proceed. 

Make sure you got the ingredient list for the brownie near to read out how much chocolate they have. The type of chocolate is also important. Tell the vet if the brownie has other stuff like xylitol and macadamia nuts. They will also cause symptoms of intoxication.

To prevent other cases of intoxication from brownies, you can keep them in a safe place out of the dog’s reach. Cleaning up leftovers will also prevent the dog from eating what’s left of the brownie. Also, educate your family and friends about what foods are bad for the dog.

FAQ

Does milk help dogs with poisoning?

Milk will not help in poisoning situations. In fact, it might make things worse. Most dogs have lactose intolerance and will get an upset stomach after ingesting milk. But you can give evaporated milk to a puppy that needs it.

Is hydrogen peroxide good for poisoned dog?

If your dog ate a brownie, the vet may recommend giving it 3% hydrogen peroxide to cause vomiting. But don’t do this without a vet suggestion. Hydrogen peroxide can cause irritation in the mouth and stomach lining.

How do you flush poison out of a dog’s system?

Once you bring your dog to the vet, they will give intravenous fluids and flush the dog’s stomach. They will also give it activated charcoal to bind the toxins. For some poisons, vets will have antidots ready as well.

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