Dogs eating grapes and rasins

[Leige]

Came across this and thought that I would pass it on...

Written
by:
Laurinda Morris, DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic
Danville , Ohio

This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxicity ever seen at MedVet. My patient was a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix that ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM.


I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject. We had her bring the dog in immediately. In the meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet, and the doctor there was like me - had heard something about it, but.... Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center and they said to give I V fluids at
1 1/2 times maintenance and watch the kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.

The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32 (normal less than 27) and creatinine! Over 5 ( 1.9 is the high end of normal). Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We placed an IV catheter and started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a liter of fluids. At the point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well as overnight care.

He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal values have continued to increase daily. He produced urine when given lasix as a diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications and they still couldn't control his vomiting. Today his urine output decreased again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was at 10, his phosphorus was very elevated and his blood pressure, which had been staying around 150, skyrocketed to 220.. He continued to vomit and the owners elected to

Euthanize.

This is a very sad case - great dog, great owners who had no idea raisins could be a toxin. Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very serious risk. Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.

Onions, chocolate, cocoa and macadamia nuts can be fatal, too.

Even if you don't have a dog, you might have friends who do. This is worth passing on to them.

Confirmation
from Snopes about the above...
Urban Legends Reference Pages: Raisins and Grapes Harmful to Dogs <http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/raisins.asp%20>

[HeyJude]

Wow, this is just terrible, thank you Leige for the post. My thoughts go out to the owners of this dog.

I sometimes give my dog a few cold grapes, never more than 4 or 5 and she loves them, but never again, it is just not worth it.

[tla0126]

!!! I am so glad you posted this!! My Beau LOVES frozen grapes, but he isn't getting any EVER again.... We will just stick to ice cubes!!!!

[Weily4Life]

Sounds like a situation where owners left food on the counter before going to work. This is a perfect example of why NOT to leave food of any kind on the counter, EVER, even if not toxic.

Dogs may be perfect angels when we are around, and never counter surf in our presence, but "when the cat's away, the mice do play."

[BoozersMama08]

Thank you for this post!!! I have never given my dogs treats such as these. But my mother-in-law is a firm believer in "If I can eat it so can my dogs". I have seen her give grapes, chocolate, suckers, and chocolate covered coffee beans. All which made me cringe and not allow my doggies at her house when I or my husband are not there. My dogs eat dog food, dog treats and occasionally some pasta noodles (no sauce or anything) or rice if the dog food is low and payday is still a couple days away. I have never seen dogs that so blatantly beg before I met her dogs. My dogs are not perfect either though. The other day we left the house for 15 minutes to run to Walmart to pick up a prescription my rotty and my 3 yr old shepherd/collie mix helped themselves to a 6 pack of blueberry muffins and a 6 pack of banana nut muffins......Can those hurt them? They haven't seemed sick at all?

[groovemongrel]

My wife gave our Rott/Lab mix a handful of grapes on Friday morning. I was looking online about that and found they caused renal failure. She called the vet who recommended 5mls of hydrogen peroxide be put down her throat to make her puke and to repeat after 5 minutes if it didn't. She puked it all up after the second serving and no problems seem to have been caused.

[Gigantor]

I would never have realized this. Thanks!