Moms of Boys

Happy Holidays, everyone!  And I wish you all a happy, healthy, and safe 2009!

We had a rather eventful Christmas morning. I went upstairs after we opened our presents only to find some strands of what I thought was wrapping paper. I was about to ask who had wrapped up something and left paper lying on the floor when I noticed the paper had chocolate smears on it -- and suddenly I realized Fenway, our 4-year-old long haired dachshund had eated the chocolate bar I'd placed on top of my mother-in-law's present!  And it was a big chocolate bar!

I yelled for my husband Kevin - who Fenway considers to be his master -- and told him what Fenway had done.  Fenway was by then in the back room with my husband. My husband walked down the hallway, and Fenway followed, but when Fenway saw me standing there with the chocolate bar wrapper, he cowered over in the corner, hanging his head; he knew he had done wrong.  Now we knew the chocolate is not good for dogs, but we didn't know the details.  My middle son, David, age 14, went on-line and found out that milk chocolate like our dog had eaten was not nearly as bad for dogs as squares of baking chocolate. Our 17-pound dog ate a 3.5 oz. milk chocolate bar and would probably have to eat another one or two for it to cause serious problems (heart related due to an ingredient in chocolate); however, as I read on, I read personal stories of people whose dogs had eaten less and still developed problems.  So we called the emergency vet, and he told us that the amount Fenway had eaten was on the border line of causing problems for a dog Fenway's size.  He told us to give him 2 tbs. of hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting and then if that didn't do the trick to give him two more tbs. 15 minutes later.  If Fenway still hadn't thrown up by then, the vet said to bring him in. 

So on Christmas morning, there I was shooting peroxide into our dog's mouth with a syringe while my husband pried open his mouth.  All the boys were concerned about their pet so everyone was very involved in offering suggestions or expressing concern. After the first round of peroxide, Kevin took Fenway for a walk, but Fen still didn't throw up.  So we had to do 2 more tablespoons, and finally, on the last bit of the last tablespoon, it happened. First came the peroxide that made him look like a rabid dog frothing at the mouth followed by lots of chocolate.  Around 3.5 ounces I'd say.  And a dingo bone.  

All in all, an interesting family activity for Christmas morning. Not one we're likely to forget.