Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Dog sick after eating apricots.

Species: Dog
Breed: Australian Shepherd
Age: 1-2 years
Yesterday I found Poppy and my other Aussie eating apricots from the neighbors overhanging tree. The other Aussie is fine and was not affected by this escapade.

It appeared Poppy was not eating/breaking the pits, there were a minimum of 50 pits in the area. Around dinner time she was not interested in eating her dinner or playing. I thought she had a belly ache. She was drinking water, but then vomited and had apricot color diarrhea. By this morning she was laying by the water bowl, but not drinking water. She decided to drink, but vomited everything she drank. Her gums were light pink to white and her energy was flat...no energy, lethargic.

I took her the VET ED and the Vet Tech saw blood on the thermometer when she took her temp which was 99.?. The ED started IV fluids, Flagyl and nausea medication.

The Vet called relaying her PCV was 35 and her renal function was compromised. I do not have her renal values. The Vet thought she may have gotten into antifreeze.

This is not possible, she was home all day and only in the backyard and house. No antifreeze available. Nothing different in her daily routine other than the apricot feast.

My questions:
Could this be cyanide poisoning?

What are the signs and symptoms of cyanide poisoning in dogs?

Does cyanide affect renal function in dogs?

What questions should I ask the ER VET?

Is there a possibility that this could be Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia? I lost an Aussie 2 yrs ago to this disease and her symptoms are very similar.

Thank you!


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Wow. I'm so sorry to hear that this happened. I'm going to have to spend a few minutes researching about cyanide for you, ok?

You'll get an email in a few minutes once I have some answers for you.

Dr. Marie


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.

Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

OK, so cyanide poisoning definitely doesn't cause renal failure. It will affect the body's cells so that they can't process oxygen properly. Then, the symptoms are coma and death.

However, the apricots may still be the culprit. If your vet is suspecting antifreeze then it means that there is acute renal failure (i.e. something has suddenly become toxic to the kidneys.) Dogs with antifreeze poisoning usually have something called calcium oxylate crystals in their urine. There are a number of plants that can cause similar symptoms if ingested. After doing some research I see that apricots actually do contain a small amount of calcium oxalates. If enough of them were eaten they could in theory cause kidney problems. I'll tell you though that I could not find one documented case of this ever happening.

This really doesn't sound like IMHA. While it will cause anemia it really shouldn't cause renal failure.

It definitely sounds like it is because of toxin ingestion. Again, a massive amount of apricots could cause these problems. Or, it is possible that there is another plant in your yard that contains calcium oxalates.

The best thing that can be done here is aggressive IV fluid therapy. It sounds like you caught this early, so hopefully Poppy pulls through!



Customer reply:

Thanks for all the info!

Appreciate your services!


Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Will kitten be ok when I go away? My kitten will be just over 15 weeks old when we go away for 1 week. I was going to... (14855 views)

Not putting weight on leg. Our cat jumped off the fridge and did something to his back leg. He limps now. When... (14964 views)

Symptoms of Lupus Help! owners have spent $1100 on test and everything comes back normal but Archie is... (13144 views)

Benadryl for thunderstorms? My dog is terified of thunderstoms. Pants, tongue hanging out, eyes huge, and heart... (41538 views)

Dog has hotspots from fleas. In August my dog started scratching and biting creating hotspots. She has been... (11489 views)

Coughing Dog. my dog is coffing all of a suden and hes haveing trouble breathing but hes acting as... (17128 views)

Seizure or heart problem? My sister is younger and home alone until tomorrow. She called me freaking out about... (17916 views)

Charcoal briquette My Yorkie, male-6 pounds, was in the garden where my husband threw burn,... (45338 views)

Beagle with neck pain. I have an 8-yr. old (9 in March) female beagle. Almost a month ago, one morning she... (17028 views)

Puppy died and had fluid in lungs. Hi Dr. Marie, My case is probally irrelevant now since my 14 weeks puppy(american... (19777 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.