Every dog lover wants to feed his pet the best diet for ideal health. But most people don’t know what is good and bad food for dogs? Questions like can dogs eat grapes and raisins are commonly asked by pet lovers need a well-researched answer. Though it is a known fact that grapes and raisins are highly toxic foods for dogs what are the side effects, systems, and types still need answers.
Well, grapes and raisin (dried grapes) are not recommended due to the high toxicity. The extract substance which creates toxic reaction is still unknown. Do you know even a small amount of these foods can prove seriously toxic for your dog?
The age, gender or breed doesn’t matter when it comes to grape’s side effects on dogs. The most grisly side effect of grapes on dogs is kidney failure. Kidney failure symptoms include lack of urine in a dog. But the case is not same in all dogs and it is still being researched.
Contents
Can Dogs Eat Grapes?
The answer is simply “no” and we have mentioned above why dogs can’t eat grapes. There are different signs and types of side effects. Grapes and raisin toxicity leads to the following symptoms in dogs. After a few hours, the dog will start vomiting and diarrhea. The fecal content materials may have grapes or raisins pieces.
- Kidney Failure
- Appetite loss
- Dehydration
- Foul Breath
- Abdominal pain
- Tremors
- Coma
- Oral ulcers
- Seizures
- Weakness, Lethargy and uncommon quietness
- Anuria (Complete urine cessation)
- Oliguria (small amount of urination)
What are the Causes?
The small number of grapes and raisins ingestion may be seriously toxic for some dogs. But some dogs can ingest a large amount without any prominent symptoms.
As we mentioned above, the toxic agent is still unknown but it is linked with the flesh of the fruit.
In simple words, seedless or peeled grapes are still dangerous.
What is the Immediate Treatment after symptoms?
The emergency case needs immediate treatment to avoid further damages. If you are sure that your dog has ingested the grapes or raisin within the last two hours, you need to induce vomiting immediately before the fruit toxins are absorbed.
But wait; don’t induce vomiting if the dog is in following states.
- Having trouble breathing
- Unconscious
- Showing signs of severe shock or distress
- If you don’t know what your dog has eaten
If the dog has vomited, don’t force him for more and call the veterinarian support for further support. If the veterinarian recommends inducing vomiting at the house, here is the best method for you.
If your dog haven’t eaten for the last two hours, give him a small meal. It will make the dog vomit but it is not necessary if the dog is not interested in food.
Measure 1ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide per pound of your dog’s weight. Use either a teaspoon or a syringe without needles. You can give a maximum 45ml of hydrogen peroxide at one time. Don’t worry about the dog’s weight. Use a syringe without needles or a turkey buster to squirt the hydrogen peroxide into the dog’s mouth.
If the vomiting doesn’t occur within fifteen minutes, try again with the same amount.
In case the dog doesn’t vomit after the second attempt; don’t use hydrogen peroxide or anything else for vomiting. After the initial care whether the dogs vomit or not, rush him to the nearest veterinary facility as soon as possible.
Diagnosis
In most cases, the grapes and raisins poisoning are diagnosed as the owner knows that their pet has eaten grapes. But sometimes, the half-digested raisins and grapes are found in the dog’s vomit. Regular laboratory tests like urinalysis, biochemistry profile and complete blood count can diagnose many cases of kidney failure.
What is the Best Treatment?
A veterinarian will begin by inducing vomiting followed by the stomach wash. The procedure will be followed by the intravenous therapy to remove the toxins out of the bloodstream and keep kidneys healthy to produce urine. The veterinarian may treat your dog with medications to decrease vomiting and maintain proper kidney functions.
What are the best prevention ways?
Keep grapes and raisins out of the reach of dogs because the pets usually ingest everything. Inform your family member about the toxic level of this food for the dogs along with other foods that are dangerous for your dog’s health such as garlic, chocolate, and onions.
It is always said that prevention is better than cure. So, if you take good care of your dog’s diet, you can avoid such server conditions.
One thing is important to mention that most people keep the grapes and raisins away from the dogs but not from the children and the children give them to their pets which lead to such problems. So, also keep the grapes and raisins out of the reach of your children’s too.
Five Foods you should not feed your dogs
- Sugar-free Candy and Gum
- Chocolate
- Onions and Garlic
- Grapes and Raisins
- Macadamia nuts
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