

Sadly, grape/raisin toxicity can even be fatal for your dog. Grapes and raisins are known to be very toxic to dogs, although research has yet to identify which substance in the fruit causes this reaction. If you are eating a portion of food not normally included in a dog’s diet, check the ASPCA website just to make sure it is safe. If home gardens include vines, make them inaccessible. To prevent harm to pets, be sure to store grapes and raisins at levels above the animals.

#My dog ate a grape how to#
How to prevent your dog or pet’s toxicity from grapes and raisins
#My dog ate a grape full#
Of the twenty-three survivors, only fifteen showed full recovery from symptoms. Experts arent exactly sure why dogs cant eat grapes, but grapes (and therefore raisins) are nevertheless poisonous for dogs. In a study of forty-three dogs brought to the ASPCA for health complications caused by grapes and raisins, only a little more than half survived. How likely are they to recover from the poisoning? This is the lowest confirmed dosage proven problematic. One documented hypothesis attributes ingestion of just 0.32 to 0.65 ounces per kilogram of dog weight to toxicity (Mazzaferro et al.). Unfortunately, not too many grapes or raisins need to be consumed to cause harm. However, these are all simple assumptions, and until proven otherwise, peeled and unpeeled grapes should not be fed to dogs. ”Īnother hypothesis is that since grapeseed oil is considered safe, the toxins are found in the grape skin. Some suspect that a salicylate (similar to aspirin) drug may be found naturally in the grape, resulting in reduced blood flow to the kidneys. Some researchers also suspect that mycotoxin (a toxic substance produced by a fungus or mold) may be the cause. Grapes that result in kidney failure have been tested for contamination with chemicals, toxins, and metals, all with negative results (McKnight 135). It is not known specifically how or why poisoning occurs, only that it does. While research is beginning to figure out just how many grapes may be toxic based on a dog's body weight, the truth is we're still just not quite sure. Treatment can save his life.Why are grapes, raisins, and grapefruits dangerous for dogs? If your dog ate a grape, it is concerning because they are toxic and can cause severe kidney damage. Blood tests can reveal changes in kidney function so if you know or suspect that your dog has eaten either grapes or raisins, get him to the vet immediately. These symptoms can last several days – sometimes even weeks. Then they become quiet and lethargic, and show signs of abdominal pain. Neither do the amounts the dogs ate: these can vary from more than a pound of grapes to as little as a single serving of raisins.Īfter eating grapes and raisins, dogs typically vomit within a few hours and then stop eating and develop diarrhea. The type of grapes or brand of raisins doesn’t matter. In 1989 the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) began tracking a trend which showed that dogs who ate grapes and raisins developed kidney failure. Just to keep things in perspective, I might mention that my daughter’s Welsh Corgi once consumed seven chocolate oranges in a raid on a Christmas stash in a closet she had nothing worse than diarrhea for a few days. There is no specific antidote, but if you believe your dog has eaten too much chocolate, take him to the vet as soon as possible for treatment of the specific symptoms. Symptoms of chocolate toxicity in dogs include hyper-excitability, hyper- irritability, increased heart rate, restlessness, increased urination, muscle tremors, vomiting, and diarrhea. Semisweet and Baker’s chocolate contain more theobromine so the rule here is one ounce per three pounds of body weight for semisweet chocolate and one ounce per nine pounds of body weight for Baker’s chocolate. That would average out to about an ounce of chocolate per pound of body weight for milk chocolate. Toxic reactions generally don’t develop unless a dog ingests 100-150 milligrams of theobromine per kilogram of its weight. They’ve looked at the chemistry of grapes and raisins and at possible residues of pesticides, heavy metals, fertilizers, and other chemicals that may have been used in cultivation, but no chemical culprit has emerged.Īs far as chocolate is concerned, you don’t have much to worry about if your pet snags a piece of candy. So far, however, vets haven’t been able to determine what it is about grapes and raisins that make them so dangerous. Chocolate contains theobromine, a drug that is in the same family as caffeine and theophylline (found in tea).
