# raisin toxicity



## lilguyparker (Aug 16, 2007)

I know raisins and chocolate are both toxic to a dog, but that raisins are fine with some dogs. Nonetheless, I made sure Parker wasn't fed any grapes, raisins or prunes along with other toxic foods for dogs. So last night I went into panic mode when I discovered he was playing with Raisinets. ...chocolate covered raisins...a double whammy. I rushed him to the ER and they treated him immediately. They induced vomitting, and discovered he ate three Raisinets. So they gave him charcoal to line his stomach from further absorption and injected fluids in him to prevent dehydration. I still have to take him to his regular vet today to get a kidney analysis test done. But since I acted fast, the ER vet said that he should be fine. I've read that some dogs have died from eating grapes or raisins.

I'm trying not to worry because worrying isn't going to make things better, but I just feel horrible. He seems ok...no unusual behavior or digestive issues during the rest of the night and this morning. He's still rambunctious and playful. So, I'm hoping that his results will come back normal, and that he's a healthy 7 month old pup.


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

> I know raisins and chocolate are both toxic to a dog, but that raisins are fine with some dogs. Nonetheless, I made sure Parker wasn't fed any grapes, raisins or prunes along with other toxic foods for dogs. So last night I went into panic mode when I discovered he was playing with Raisinets. ...chocolate covered raisins...a double whammy. I rushed him to the ER and they treated him immediately. They induced vomitting, and discovered he ate three Raisinets. So they gave him charcoal to line his stomach from further absorption and injected fluids in him to prevent dehydration. I still have to take him to his regular vet today to get a kidney analysis test done. But since I acted fast, the ER vet said that he should be fine. I've read that some dogs have died from eating grapes or raisins.
> 
> I'm trying not to worry because worrying isn't going to make things better, but I just feel horrible. He seems ok...no unusual behavior or digestive issues during the rest of the night and this morning. He's still rambunctious and playful. So, I'm hoping that his results will come back normal, and that he's a healthy 7 month old pup.[/B]


Omg I am so glad you managed to act so quickly, I am sure he will be fine because of it  

When I was a kid growing up we had a larger breed dog, Australian Kelpie, and also had grapes growing. That girl would eat the grapes off the vine, she loved them, and she had no ill effects at all, as a matter of fact she lived to a ripe old age of 18 years.
Having said that, our Malts are totally different, much smaller and their constitution is not the same as a larger breed. Anything toxic will effect them much faster.

I sure hope Parker is fine and has no ill effects from his little snack


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## lillady (Jan 25, 2007)

Way to act fast on your feet :aktion033: I'm sure since you acted so quickly everything should be ok. It's always good to remind people about the toxic foods. There are so many people I've come across who don't know that grapes are bad for dogs. 

Please do keep us posted :thumbsup:


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## Max & Rocky (May 20, 2004)

I knew chocolate was a problem... but somewhere along the line... I missed the lesson on grapes.

When Snowy was very pregnant, that little girl saw me eating grapes and she would crawl all over me begging for me to give her some. I am ashamed to say I did... probably a half dozen over several days. I happened to mention this in a message to Deb... :brownbag: 


Let's just say that Deb set me straight... but Deb, I want you to know that Snowy girl is not happy about the no grapes rule...


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## beckybc03 (Jul 6, 2006)

I'm so glad that you acted so quickly!! I'm sure Parker will be ok :grouphug: 

My parents bichon once ate probably half a bag of grapes. Someone left them on the counter and she must have gotten up there and ate them. No one even knew that she got to them until she puked all over the carpet. It was literally like the whole bag came up undigested. The vet told us that because she threw up there was no need to bring her in. She was totally fine after that and had no problems.


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## lilguyparker (Aug 16, 2007)

The results of Parker's blood work are back and everything is normal!!! Yea! They just need to analyze his urine which I had to collect this morning. He wouldn't potty at the vet's yesterday. But the vet thinks his urine results will be normal, too.

Yeah, grapes are very bad. My vet said she hospitalized her own dog for 24 hours after he ate a few grapes. Again, it's fine for some dogs, but toxic for others. It's best to play it safe.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

I'm glad your baby is ok.

I knew about grapes/raisins/chocolate, but what I don't understand is WHY grapes and raisins are toxic--I can understand chocolate--I'm assuming the caffine & sugar combo would accellerate the heartrate too high, etc. But what on earth is dangerous about grapes/raisins? I can't see how they have any more sugar than any other fruit. Does anyone know? It doesn't make sense to me!


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## lilguyparker (Aug 16, 2007)

> I'm glad your baby is ok.
> 
> I knew about grapes/raisins/chocolate, but what I don't understand is WHY grapes and raisins are toxic--I can understand chocolate--I'm assuming the caffine & sugar combo would accellerate the heartrate too high, etc. But what on earth is dangerous about grapes/raisins? I can't see how they have any more sugar than any other fruit. Does anyone know? It doesn't make sense to me![/B]


Thanks. 

There's been research done on grapes/raisins, but I don't think any of the research can explain why it's toxic for some dogs. The only thing that they know for certain is that it's been linked to several deaths in dogs who ate them or dogs with permanent kidney damage. So, Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) listed grapes/raisins as foods to keep your dogs away from. Up until a few years ago, no one thought to think they could be toxic.


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## 3Maltmom (May 23, 2005)

> I knew chocolate was a problem... but somewhere along the line... I missed the lesson on grapes.
> 
> When Snowy was very pregnant, that little girl saw me eating grapes and she would crawl all over me begging for me to give her some. I am ashamed to say I did... probably a half dozen over several days. I happened to mention this in a message to Deb... :brownbag:
> 
> ...


Sorry Snowy!!

You know Steve, it wasn't long ago, my son was putting his dogs' meds in grapes :brownbag: 

My Cockatoo loves grapes, but I do have to keep an eye on him, as he will throw them at the dogs. I think he secretely knows ~ lol


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> I'm glad your baby is ok.
> 
> I knew about grapes/raisins/chocolate, but what I don't understand is WHY grapes and raisins are toxic--I can understand chocolate--I'm assuming the caffine & sugar combo would accellerate the heartrate too high, etc. But what on earth is dangerous about grapes/raisins? I can't see how they have any more sugar than any other fruit. Does anyone know? It doesn't make sense to me![/B]


Pam, from what I've read, they still don't know why grapes and raisins can be toxic. 

http://www.aspca.org/site/News2?id=16645&a...age=NewsArticle
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Issues Nationwide Update: Raisins and Grapes Can Be Toxic To Dogs
Tuesday, July 6, 2004 

Since April 2003, the Center handled approximately 140 cases of dogs ingesting raisins or grapes.

Media Contacts: Dana Farbman, CVT
(217)-337-9751
[email protected] 

(NEW YORK, NY) July 6, 2004 -- The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center continues to caution dog owners that raisins and grapes may be toxic to some dogs.From April 2003 to April 2004, the Center managed 140 cases, each involving one or more dogs that ingested varying amounts of raisins or grapes. Of these cases, over 50 animals developed clinical signs ranging from vomiting to life-threatening kidney failure, and seven dogs died.

Sarah Wright of Wisconsin lost her two year-old Australian Shepherd / Saint Bernard Mix, Penny (see picture) early this April to kidney failure after Penny ingested approximatelyone cup of raisins."Penny ate the raisins and vomited later that same day," recalls Sarah."I took her in to be evaluated by our local veterinarian, who felt that she was simply experiencing stomach upset, as the clinic was not aware of the potential for toxicity with raisin ingestions in dogs.A few days later, when Penny didn't improve, my veterinarian ran blood tests and found that Penny had developed acute renal failure, and despite efforts to save Penny, she passed away." 

Sarah wanted to share her unfortunate loss with others "so that other dog owners can be educated about the toxic potential of grapes and raisins, and avoid having their dogs go through what Penny did." She would also like to urge pet owners to educate themselves about issues pertinent to their pets' health, in order to become an effective advocate for the medical care they receive. 

Much is still yet to be discovered about the toxic principle associated with grape and raisin ingestions, as well as the exact mechanism leading to kidney damage in some dogs. It is also not clear if only canines are susceptible to developing a toxicosis, and additionally if only certain dogs are affected, or if chronic, long term ingestions can lead to the same effects as large, acute or single ingestions.As there are still many unknowns with the toxic potential of grapes and raisins, *the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center advises not giving grapes or raisins to pets in any amount.*

The ASPCA will continue to monitor this situation, and will provide any additional information as it becomes available. Please call (888) 426-4435 if you have a pet that has ingested grapes or raisins, or you suspect may be experiencing problems.
###

http://www.aspca.org/site/DocServer/grapes.pdf?docID=189
The Wrath of Grapes
by Charlotte Means, D.V.M. 

Magoo was a big, playful Labrador retriever who often got himself into some sticky situations. Usually, his escapades were harmless. But one day, he managed to snag a box of raisins from the pantry and ended up eating an entire pound of the sweet treats. Other than being exasperated by Magoo's behavior, his guardians didn't think much about it. They knew that lots of people shared grapes with their dogs and often used raisins as training rewards. So it hardly seemed the kind of emergency that required a call to the veterinarian. In fact, if Magoo's parents had called the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) just a few years ago, they would have been told not to worry about it.

Through the GrapevineEnter the APCC AnToxTM database, a computerized system that contains nearly 500,000 animal-related medical conditions and that enables veterinarians to quickly identify toxic-substance exposures, recognize clinical signs and administer proper treatment. By tracking cases in this registry, similarities in animal medical conditions nationwide can be logged and syndromes can be identified.

Around 1989, the APCC began noticing a trend in dogs who had eaten grapes or raisins: Nearly all developed acute renal (kidney) failure. As more cases were reported, enough data was generated in the database to help veterinarians identify and treat dogs at risk. In all of the cases, the ingredients for potential acute renal failure were the same. Whether the ingested grapes were purchased fresh from grocery stores or grown in private yards didn't seem to matter, nor did the brand eaten. And the ingested amounts varied considerably, from over a pound of grapes to as little as a single serving of raisins. The cases weren't from any specific region, but instead came from across the United States.

The database showed that dogs who ate the grapes and raisins typically vomited within a few hours of ingestion. Most of the time, partially digested grapes and raisins could be seen in the vomit, fecal material, or both. At this point, some dogs would stop eating (anorexia), and develop diarrhea. The dogs often became quiet and lethargic, and showed signs of abdominal pain. These clinical signs lasted for several days -- sometimes even weeks.

When medical care was sought, blood chemistry panels showed consistent patterns. Hypercalcemia (elevated blood calcium levels) was frequently present, as well as elevated levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and phosphorous (substances that reflect kidney function). These chemistries began to increase anywhere from 24 hours to several days after the dogs ate the fruit. As the kidney damage developed, the dogs would produce little urine. When they could no longer produce urine, death occurred. In some cases, dogs who received timely veterinary care still had to be euthanized.
Why did the fruit cause the dogs to become ill? No one knows. Suspect grapes and raisins have been screened for various pesticides, heavy metals (such as zinc or lead), and mycotoxins (fungal contaminants) and so far, all results have come back negative. In the cases where the grapes were grown in private yards, owners confirmed that no insecticides, fertilizers or antifungals had been used on the fruit.

"Raisin" the Success RateEven though the exact cause of the renal failure is unknown, dogs who ingest grapes and raisins can be treated successfully to prevent its development. The first line of defense is decontamination. Inducing vomiting in recent ingestions and administering activated charcoal helps prevent absorption of potential toxins. Dogs should be hospitalized and placed on intravenous fluids for a minimum of 48 hours. A veterinarian should monitor blood chemistry daily for at least three days following the ingestion. If all blood work is normal after three days, it's unlikely that kidney failure will occur. If a dog shows evidence of renal failure, fluids must be continued, and other medications should be used to stimulate urine production. Some dogs may need peritoneal dialysis, a process where the peritoneum (the membranes surrounding the abdominal organs) is used to filter waste products that are normally filtered by the kidney.

Thanks in part to the AnTox database, grape or raisin ingestion can be easily identified and treated. Today, a dog can make a complete recovery from this potentially fatal condition.

Dr. Means is a veterinary toxicologist at the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, Illinois.
Reprinted from ASPCA Animal Watch, Summer 2002, Volume 22, Number 2, with permission from The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 424 East 92nd Street, New York, NY 10128-6804.

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is the only animal poison control center in North America. Established in 1978, at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. The Center is the only facility of its kind. Located in Urbana, Illinois, the specially trained staff provides assistance to pet owners and specific diagnostic and treatment recommendations to veterinarians. In 2001, the Center handled over 65,000 cases.


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