An Unworthy Treat

Hello, this is Teddy's dad and I'm hijacking his blog to share some very VERY important information about some seemingly innocuous people food that is extremely dangerous to dogs. But before you get worried, I should tell you that Teddy is fat, happy and just fine (as far as I know).

Over the summer, I like to keep grapes in the freezer as a cold, sweet snack. One summer afternoon about 18 months ago, I was partaking of my snack and teddy was watching. "Hey, dad, those look good. Can I try one?"

"Do you want a grape?"

"Yes, I want a grape if that's what those things are that you're eating. Can I have one?"

"I don't think you'll like it."

"I don't care."

So, I gave him one. At first, he was a little confused. He walked off with it and dropped it on the floor. He spent several minutes sniffing at it, tasting it and letting it roll around in his mouth before finally eating it and coming back for another one... a request to which I acquiessed (I gave in).

Since that day, I have been feeding him one to three grapes any time I have them. A few months ago, I read somewhere that you shouldn't feed grapes to dogs. There was no explanation, they were just on a list. I've also heard you shouldn't give milk or dairy to a cat but my vet says that if their digestive system tollerates it, dairy products are fine. I thought grapes might be similar with dogs since ther was no specific warning. Boy, was I wrong.

The wife and I were discussing this just the other day. I finally asked, "I wonder what is so bad about grapes?" I turned to Google to answer the question. I was shocked and terrified by the answer I found. Apparently, a sufficient amount of grapes or raisins will cause the dog to experience total renal failure (the kidneys shut down). The stories I read also speak of a slow, painful, unrecoverable decline that ends in death.

Lucky for me and my Teddy Bear, a small amount (1 or 2) does not appear to cause this reaction or we might have found out the hard way. Veterinary toxicologists are not sure why grapes are toxic so there is no way, as yet, to tell exactly what amount could affect your pet.

Here's the short version:

DO NOT ALLOW YOUR DOG TO EAT GRAPES OR RAISINS! DOING SO MAY CAUSE RENAL FAILURE AND CAN BE FATAL!

Pet owners whose dogs have ingested large quantities of grapes or raisins, or veterinarians managing such cases, are encouraged to call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435 immediately (round-the-clock assistance).

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The following information was obtained from the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center's EMail News Alert:

"STRANGE FRUIT? ASPCA REPORTS ON CASES OF CANINE KIDNEY FAILURE FROM GRAPES AND RAISINS

In response to reports of dogs developing kidney failure after eating large amounts of grapes or raisins, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) conducted a review of all related cases in its database. Veterinary toxicologists found that all of the companion canines developed vomiting within six hours of ingestion; the estimated amounts of grapes or raisins eaten ranged from nine ounces to two pounds. Other commonly reported signs included diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy and abdominal pain, and all of the dogs developed evidence of kidney disfunction. Adds APCC's Charlotte Means, DVM, "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." Clinical signs lasted for several days--sometimes even weeks. And after aggressive treatment, which included intravenous fluids and medications, half of the dogs recovered, while the others died or had to be euthanized.

Pet owners whose dogs have ingested large quantities of grapes or raisins, or veterinarians managing such cases, are encouraged to call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435 immediately (round-the-clock assistance).

One of Teddy's other favorite fruity treats is Bananas (similar story as to how he got hooked on those). Apparently,"Bananas are okay," according to Dr. Jill A. Richardson with the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. (Source: http://www.uexplore.com/health/GrapesRaisinsAndDogs.html)

Resources:
http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/raisins.asp
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_ask_peoplefood