Dog ate chocolate?

ask a vet

Puppy and adult dog vomiting.

Species: Dog
Breed: AUSSIE
Age: 3-6 months
Our 8 yr old lab became ill about 2 weeks ago with occassional vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite and thirst, depression. He had played with a dead mole in the yard and our vet thought he probably got a stomach bug from that. He was given antibacterial meds and nausea meds but improved only slightly. No fever. Blood draw showed most things in the range of normal, no blood parasited, slightly elevated WBC. Then our 4 month old aussie vomited after dinner and again the next night. She has not lost appetite or thirst but is depressed and inactive. She is MDR1 positive so I'm hesitant to give her the tylan prescribed and would really like to know what this could be, or what they should be tested for. Her stools have been firm, and both dogs are current on vaccinations.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

I'm sorry to hear that both of your dogs are not feeling well.

I do get fairly concerned any time that a puppy is depressed and inactive.

The fact that both are up to date on vaccinations is very good. My first thought was that this could be parvo virus. It still is possible that it is some type of a viral disease but we don't see a lot of stomach flus in dogs.

Do they eat any of the same type of treats? There have been recalls lately involving chicken jerky treats. Some of these have had salmonella contamination. And there are still some on the market that have not been recalled and yet some dogs are getting very sick. If you have fed them chicken jerky treats at all then I would mention this to your vet.

What about food? Do they share any food at all? If so, are you near the end of the bag or at the beginning? If this is the case then mold in the food could be a possibility.

A parasite still is a possibility even if the fecal tests were negative. Giardia is a parasite that doesn't always turn up well on fecal exams. If this were my case I would likely be prescribing a medication such as metronidazole which is usually good for Giardia just in case.

It is also possible that there is something completely different going on with the puppy as well.

Any time that a puppy is unwell I recommend a vet visit mostly because their little bodies don't have a lot of reserves to fight dehydration. If Gem is really lethargic then it sounds like you may need to have her looked at.

I wish I could give you more specific advice. Hopefully this has helped, but let me know if you have more questions.


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

Thank you. They do not share the same type of food or treats, no chicken jerky treats for either. They are both in the middle/end of their bag of food, not a new bag. The blood test was what showed no parasites....

Sounds like I may need to take them to a different vet than the one they've seen already. I thank you for your answer.


Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Surgery needed for cruciate tear? Hello again Dr. Marie, you seem like a compassionate and caring person, so I would... (6396 views)

Cats pooping on the carpet. I have 2 beautiful, loving cats (male/female) 6 years old. They are siblings from... (19411 views)

Horrible euthanasia experience Why was my pets euthanasia a nightmare? I brought my cat Jack in for euthanasia... (11374 views)

Leaking urine on bed. Dear Dr. Marie: My dog has had bladder problems since she was a puppy. She will... (6594 views)

Vet was rough with my cat. I'm curious as to the process of applying anesthetic to a cat. Namely I witnessed my... (11232 views)

Kitten died. Hello I work at the humane society. We recently adopted out a 13 week old long... (11178 views)

Vomiting Golden Retriever. I have a 8-year-old golden retriever that has been vomiting for the past 36 hours. ... (17986 views)

Not eating losing weight. Age: 13 months Weight: 8 1/2 pounds He was 9 pounds, but lost half a pound in May.... (6899 views)

Cat has a watery eye. Hi, I have spoken with you before about my cat Yoko. She suffers from swollen gums... (13838 views)

Should dog be euthanized if he bites? We adopted a lab / hound mix dog from a local shelter. They didn't know much about... (13676 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.