Grapes: Tasty for You, Possibly Lethal for Your Dog

Posted byPaola Nadeau on Oct 2020 in Healthcare | 0 comments

There are several different kinds of foods that are perfectly safe for human beings that can be toxic or even fatal for our pets. One that often surprises dog owners is grapes and, logically enough, raisins. However, even a handful of grapes or raisins, con prove lethal for your dog and if your dog has consumed any raisins or grapes, you should get your dog to an Austin pet clinic as soon as possible.

Of course, it would not be normal for us to feed our dogs grapes, but whether your dog should retrieve some from a kitchen counter, get fed some by a child who did not know any better, or otherwise have the opportunity to get access to grapes, the most likely immediate symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea. However, subsequent symptoms that may develop over a period of days would be lethargy, signs of abdominal pain, and becoming anorexic. The largest concern is that your dog’s kidneys would begin to shut down and lead to your dog’s death. That is why getting to the pet clinic as soon as possible is so important.

If your dog has consumed even a few grapes or raisins, but you cannot get your dog to the pet clinic, for whatever reason, it is important that you try to get your dog to vomit so that you can get the toxic substance out of your dog’s body. However, even if you get your dog to vomit (if you are able to do so), you cannot be certain that your dog has thrown all of the grapes or raisins, so you will still want to get your dog to the pet clinic as quickly as you can. In the meantime, continue to monitor your dog for any of the symptoms mentioned earlier. You will especially want to make sure that your dog is well hydrated and urinating so that you can be sure that kidney failure is not taking place.

Of course, once you get to the pet clinic, your vet may induce further vomiting to ensure that all grapes or raisins have been evacuated from your dog’s stomach. Your vet may then prescribe some drugs to absorb any toxicity out of your dog’s system or, if any kidney issues have arisen, an IV drip to make sure that kidney failure does not ensue.

Obviously, the best course of action is to make sure that your dog does not ever get into any grapes or raisins. Barring that, however, and since sometimes you can’t always have complete control over what your dog ingests, it is important to remember to get your pet to an Austin pet clinic anytime something toxic is consumed.

Whether for an emergency or routine animal care, when you need an Austin pet clinic, Austin Animal Medical Center has the services you need. We offer routine vaccinations, boarding services, surgical services, and regular pet checkups. When you come to Austin Animal Medical Center we care for your pet as though it were one of our own. Call on Austin Animal Medical Center for all of your veterinary needs. You can reach us by calling 512.832.4119 or email us at info@austintexasvet.com.