Are grapes poisonous to dogs?

Answer 1

Read this article from the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center about grapes....
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_publicationsgrapes

In the article it states:
"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."

Answer 2

Grapes and raisins have been noted to cause acute renal failure in dogs. For more information, check out the ASPCA Animal Poison Control website.

This is a recent discovery, like in the past couple years, and as far as I am aware, no one is sure what in the grapes causes the problem. But they are definitely toxic. If your 50lb dog got 1-2, I wouldn't freak out, but don't feed them on purpose.

and Michelle - caffeine and theobromine ( the chemicals in chocolate) are most definitely toxic to dogs! It is not just a "bad reaction" but an actual toxicity. The effects are predictable in each case, and directly attributed to the side effects of those chemicals. Reactions to a chemical or medication can differ significantly from animal to animal.
If you have a dog, you may want to look at the ASPCA poison control website for some correct information.

Answer 3

Hey,
It's alot like giving your puppy chocolate. If you feed your dog too much chocolate you can make them have a heart attack and kill them, with grapes it's a similar thing. Grapes have the smallest amount of alcohol in them and this is very toxic to dogs. In the wild they would never eat grapes or even play with them as puppies, they also wouldn't have anything like chocolate either. You shouldn't feed your dog any grapes at all, you may end up either killing it or having to put it down.

Wolverine_Clawess_26

Answer 4

The Wrath of Grapes
Discover why grapes and raisins prove toxic to dogs.
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 Grapevine
Enter 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 Rate
Even 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.

Answer 5

Yes, both grapes and raisins have been proved to be toxic to dogs.
It doesn't matter whether red or green grapes, they cause kidney failure. this is reported in veterinary medicine journal, and ASPCA website.

Just a handful of grapes was enough to cause kidney failure in a large Labrador....Some dogs are affected more then others, but the breed of dog seems to have nothing to do with level of danger.

Answer 6

Nope, and actually chocolate is not poison to dogs either. Some dogs have bad reactions to chocolate, which is why you shouldn't chance it, but not all. My dog won't eat grapes though, I don't know why, my friends dog eats them though. My dog prefers apples.

Answer 7

no. i had a westhighland terrior that ate anything. he loved grapes, salad but would only eat the cheapest dog food on the market. forget if i got anything at checkers. he would star me down and go nuts until he got a few fries. no other place he cared about and got his checker burger. the only thing is if yours is into grapes, he may be into more munching, so watch anything poisionous as far as plants. chocolate they can't digest in large amounts. nibbles are ok, but not chunks as they get constipated from it.

Answer 8

YES THEY ARE!!! Grapes and raisins can kill dogs....look it up.

My family just got a new puppy, and when we took him to the vet we were given a booklet on how to take care of him. There was something in there about it.

Answer 9

I don't think so. I feed my lab some grapes and she loved them!She's still alive to tell the tale!

Answer 10

No, but it is easy for them to choke on the grape or the seeds.