Stay calm and minimize noise and stimuli, to reduce anxiety in the animal, while transporting it immediately to the vet. Chances of recovery are good with prompt medical treatment. With their curiosity and strong teeth, dogs can crack open a pill bottle and swallow the entire contents in a very short time. Even if a medicine prescribed for your pet, too large a dose could cause problems. Medications that come in tubes may also pose a large risk.
Most pets have sharp teeth and can chew into a tube within seconds.
Creams and ointments that may be quite safe when applied to the skin can cause serious problems when eaten. One of the most common toxicities in animals seen by veterinarians is chocolate toxicity. Chocolate contains the chemical theobromine which is in the same chemical family as caffeine. Chocolate poisoning can occur with as little as a quarter ounce of baking chocolate ingested per pound of body weight. Baking chocolate contains higher amounts of theobromine than other forms of chocolate, but toxicity can occur with any form of chocolate or cocoa.