12:32am UK, Friday April 10, 2009 An Easter-egg hunt proved to be anything but fun for a sweet-toothed Labrador called Buster.
The five-stone pooch ended up with chocolate poisoning after wolfing down a stash of chocolate eggs which he found hidden away in his owner's spare room.
Five-year-old Buster had to be taken to animal hospital where he was admitted to intensive care after devouring 12 eggs and their foil wrapping.
Buster's owner, Brenda Dawes, bought the eggs as Easter treats for her grandchildren.
She said: "When I arrived home one afternoon, Buster came down the stairs, wagging his tail and licking his lips. I knew immediately he'd been up to something.
"He's a terror and chews everything he gets his paws on - mobile phones, video tapes, the remote control."
At first, Buster did not appear to be affected by his binge. However, Ms Dawes was woken in the early hours of the morning by the pet's cries.
"He couldn't stand up, his back legs just kept buckling underneath him.
"His stomach was swollen and he was obviously in a lot of pain. Panicking, I called PDSA and they told me to bring him straight in."
Ms Dawes immediately took the dog to animal charity PDSA's PetAid hospital, near her home in Derby, where he was treated with fluids and kept in for round-the-clock observation.
Buster made a full recovery, but his ordeal has prompted animal welfare officials to issue a pre-Easter warning to anyone who keeps hungry hounds and chocolate under the same roof.
Senior veterinary surgeon Vicky Sims said: "Buster was quite lucky. Creme eggs have a fairly low theobromine content because they're half fondant.
"Higher quality 'posh' chocolates are the most dangerous as they have high concentrated doses of theobromine - which poisons pets.
"Many people are simply not aware that even small amounts of human chocolate can kill a little dog. If you want to indulge your pet you should opt for a healthy pet treat instead."It seems that greedy Buster has a long way to go before he learns his lesson.
Vicky Sims, senior veterinary surgeon
Ms Dawes said: "He's already tried to eat a bag of crisps and a toilet roll since he's been home - I'll have to keep a close eye on him from now on to keep him out of trouble."
The effects of chocolate poisoning in dogs usually appear within six to twelve hours of ingestion, and can last as long as 72 hours, the PDSA says.
Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal tenderness, restlessness and increased heart and breathing rate.
In severe cases there may be fits, heart beat irregularities or coma.
If dogs ingest a large quantity of chocolate and are left untreated, the poisoning can prove to be fatal.
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