“BabyVet” is the name of my entire book series. Each book I write will start with the word BabyVet. I chose this name because when I graduated veterinary school, I was fondly considered a “Baby Veterinarian,” and the term stuck with me.

So many things! Kat, the main character in my book, is based on a combination of three special little girls in my life who have food allergies: my daughter Katara, my God-daughter Zai, and my niece Melanne.  My daughter had an allergic reaction, like Kat, when she was little, and we were very scared. We drove to the hospital instead of taking an ambulance. Driving scared was not only dangerous, but it also prevented Katara from getting treated on the way to the hospital. My hope is that this story can help kids and their parents avoid our mistakes and potentially save lives. The dogs Brownie and Chocolate are based off my first dog. He was a Chocolate Labrador Retriever that I got when I was 16 years old. He passed away while I was pregnant with Katara. This story is one way I can share his memory with her.

Chocolate has a chemical called Theobromine that is toxic—or poisonous—to dogs. This means it can make them really sick. Sometimes they can even die! Chocolate gives dogs a very bad stomach ache. It can also make them vomit, have diarrhea, have a fast heart rate, have seizures, or collapse. The darker the chocolate, or more pure the cacao, the worse the reaction is. White chocolate has the smallest amount of theobromine, while pure dark chocolate and baker’s chocolate have the highest amount.

Good question! Owners can save their dogs by always calling or going straight to the vet when they are worried their dog ate something toxic, like chocolate. The faster I see the dog, the faster I can help get the toxin out. I love when owners bring their pet’s medical records, especially if I haven’t seen them before. The medical record shows me if they have ever been sick before, if they have had all their shots, if they are on any medications, or if there is anything I should be careful of before I start trying to help the dog. I give a big gold star to owners that bring me the recipe or wrapper of what the dog ate. It also helps to know how much the dog ate and how long ago the dog might have eaten the toxic food. All this information really helps veterinarians like me to make the dog feel better. 
But the best thing an owner can do is try to keep the dog from eating chocolate in the first place. Dogs are smart and have really good noses. So owners should clean and hide bad foods and close the trash. If the pet likes to jump on the counter, then the owner can come to me about training the dog.

It is always good to ask your parents before you try new foods. It is also good to ask your veterinarian before you give new foods to your pets. You don’t need to be sad if you can’t eat or have food you really like. There is always a person or animal that can’t eat or have that food, either. I am an adult and I am lactose intolerant. That means I can’t eat anything with dairy, which includes: milk, cheese, butter, or ice cream! You are not alone! For Kat, she couldn’t have chocolate. But she gained Chocolate, her puppy. You can always find happiness amidst loss or pain, if you look for it.