It’s not Terry’s! Tiny Terrier snaffles whole chocolate orange

16 March 2016

Terrier crossbreed Benny got himself and his canine pal into a sticky spot after snaffling a whole chocolate orange.

When Siubhan Goldup and fiancé Robert Wisbey came home to find a ripped chocolate box and a pile of empty wrappers, they didn’t know which of their two dogs was responsible, so decided to take both Benny and his brother Dexter to PDSA’s Pet Hospital in Bournemouth for a check up.

Siubhan, 24, from Kinson in Bournemouth, said: “We knew that chocolate is poisonous to dogs and that one of them had eaten it, so we thought it best to get them both checked out.”

PDSA Vet Nurse Team Leader Rachael Rolfe said: “We didn’t know which dog had eaten the chocolate so had to make both sick. Once we did, it soon became very apparent that Benny was the culprit!”

The 175g chocolate orange contained enough theobromine – the chemical highly toxic to dogs – to seriously harm Benny. Weighing just 8kg, he could have suffered damage to his heart, central nervous system and kidneys.

Vet Nurse Rachael added: “Benny could have caused himself some serious and lasting damage to his internal organs. There is no doubt that without the quick thinking of Siubhan, he may not be here now.

“If owners even suspect that their dog has eaten chocolate, it’s always best to get them checked over by a vet as the consequences can be fatal.”

Siubhan continues: "The staff at PDSA were absolutely brilliant with both Benny and Dexter. I am disabled and find it very difficult and painful getting around. When we walk the boys I use an electric trike. The dogs are a very important part of our lives and we would be lost without them. Thank you PDSA for helping Benny out of a very sticky spot!"

PDSA is on a mission to educate the nation on pet wellbeing and thanks to funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, is helping the charity to continue this vital work.

PDSA is the UK’s leading veterinary charity. With 51 Pet Hospitals across the UK, the charity administered 2.7 million treatments to 470,000 pets last year.