Social media was reduced to tears after discovering why some vets give ailing dogs small pieces of chocolate.
Chocolate is one of many foods that are toxic and sometimes fatal to our canine friends because of the theobromine and caffeine content. Dogs can’t metabolize the chemicals leading to vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, excessive urination, and a racing heart rate.
A last treat for a good boy
It’s commonly believed that chocolate is toxic for dogs, but there are some instances when even vets will crack out the cocoa for their four-legged friends.
The process was brought to light following a recent viral TikTok from Mackenzie Seton (@mackenzie.seton). In her video, Mackenzie fed a Lindor chocolate ball to her sick golden retriever who was on his way to being put to sleep.
“I miss my best friend,” she captioned the post, which has since garnered over 47 million views and 6.9 million likes.
I miss my best friend❤️
In a floating caption, she added: “Because no dog should go to heaven not knowing how chocolate tastes.”
Feeding chocolate to sick dogs is a common occurrence
Amongst the people sharing their own heartbreaking stories, vets and veterinary technicians offered a look behind the curtain.
“I’m a vet tech and yesterday I gave a yellow lab like 7 Hershey kisses while trying not to cry and waiting for the rest of his family to arrive,” one person confessed.
Replying to @Pam thank you he deserved the world 🤍 #petloss #petgrief #rottiesoftiktok #rottweilersoftiktok
Another said: “At my clinic, we give ‘Hershey’s kisses’ and call them goodbye kisses.”
A third said: “We did the same with our golden that we recently lost to cancer. In the room, she got to eat a container full of treats and about 20 Hershey kisses.”
Back in 2021, Smiths Station Animal Hospital opened up about the process in a post that has since gone viral. The Alabama-based clinic wrote: “This jar is reserved for our euthanasia appointments…because no dog should go to Heaven without tasting chocolate.”
