Easter egg warning after Chatham chihuahua's choc horror

Pet owners are being warned to take extra care with their chocolates this Easter after a chihuahua nearly died.

Two-year-old Bailey sniffed out a milk chocolate egg hidden under a pillow in his home in Chatham, Kent.

The tasty human treat contains a chemical called theobromine which is toxic to dogs.

Pet charity PDSA is advising owners to store chocolates and other potentially poisonous foods in the same way as medicines.

Bailey's owner, Tracy, 39, noticed he was acting strangely and then discovered torn up foil with the chocolate all gone.

She said: "He became really lethargic and just wasn't himself.

"Soon after I found torn-up Easter egg foil. I knew he needed to be seen urgently."

The mother-of-five rang vet charity PDSA after the incident last year, and was told to bring Bailey straight in.

She said: "I'm very careful with chocolate as I know it's poisonous for dogs, but my seven-year-old son had hidden an egg under a pillow thinking Bailey wouldn't be able to find it."

The chihuahua was given emergency treatment to induce vomiting.

PDSA senior vet Soo Ming Teoh said: "We estimated Bailey had eaten about half an egg.

"He needed close monitoring and intravenous fluid support due to an increased heart rate."

But after a few hours of treatment, Bailey was allowed home with instructions to monitor him overnight.

Tracy said Bailey was now "back to his usual self", and she was sharing her experience to help keep other pets safe.

PDSA said that in small breeds like Bailey, the effects of chocolate poisoning can be extremely serious even if only a small amount is eaten.

In severe cases, chocolate poisoning in dogs can cause fits and even death.

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