The Truth About Dogs, Grapes, & Raisins

Is it true that dogs can’t tolerate grapes or raisins? Totally! In fact, it’s not a matter of tolerance. It’s an emergency.

Grapes, including all its derivatives such as raisins, are toxic to your canine, and you should ensure that these foods are kept as far away as possible from your pet. Not all dog breeds react to grapes the same way and the relation between toxicity level and the volume of grapes ingested is not yet established.

This means that one grape can be fatal to a large dog but mildly toxic to a small pup. Having said that, it’s still best to err on the side of caution and completely eliminate grapes from your dog’s diet to protect his kidney. If, by accident, your canine happens to eat a grape or raisin, take him or her to the vet immediately.

Kidney failure usually happens after a day or two from the time of ingestion, so even if you’ve not seen him/her actually eat it, watch out for symptoms such as excessive thirst, weakness, anorexia, abdominal pain, and lethargy. If you suspect toxicity, conduct gastric decontamination or induced vomiting using activated charcoal, with your vet’s guidance. This decreases toxin absorption into the kidney.

Supportive treatments may also be conducted within the first 24-48 hours, including fluid therapy, gastro-protectant, and anti-emetic medication, electrolyte, and kidney value monitoring. If medical attention is given immediately and properly, your dog will recover in due time.