Dogs are generally referred to as man’s best friend. Hence, it is our responsibility to take care of the longevity of our best friend. Certain foods which are normal to a human being might be disastrous for our beloved pet. Most new dog owners are typically unaware of what they could feed normal food to their dogs and what can dogs not eat. Our goal is to understand a few hazardous areas that might be life-threatening to our pets/friends. This article is more informative on this can dogs eat grapes context.
Can Dogs Eat Grapes?
Grapes are general fruits that help humans maintain metabolism and provide more necessary antioxidants. But can dogs eat grapes? The answer is no, because grapes poisonous to dogs, and these are highly toxic foods for them. Your dog friend likes to eat fresh fruits and vegetables which you enjoy eating. While many best nutritious dog food will be safe, some are not. In that order, grapes and raisins (dried grapes) are not good for your dogs. It can cause severe health problems in your dog, and at worst, it can be a life-killing disease for some dogs. Some research says that grapes are toxic agents and, therefore, seedless and peeled grapes for dogs are harmful. The poisoning in grapes will show different effects in different dogs. For example, for some dogs, it becomes a deadly disease; for others, eating even a dozen will create no dangerous effects in them.
Are Grapes Bad for Dogs?
Can dog eat grapes? Generally, a medical issue for dogs states that raisins/grapes/dried grapes tend to create acute kidney failure for dogs (which is more fatal for your best friend). Your dog will be more eager to eat any food you eat because they don’t know that certain foods will be poisonous to them. Generally, toxicity is also dependent on the size of the dogs. It means the bigger the dogs, the smaller the toxicity, and vice versa. For example, for a large breed like a German shepherd, one grape might not be a big issue for them if it consumes more than a problem. But for a smaller breed like Pug, a single grape is life-threatening.
There are no straightforward answers for the scientists yet, to the question, “Are grapes bad for dogs?”. Initially, they thought that the mycotoxin present in the grapes, when ingested by dogs, causes kidney damage. Another speculation related to the toxicity in grapes is that the salicylate found in the grapes and raisins will decrease the blood flow to the kidneys, which might cause kidney disease in dogs.
Recently, it has been said that tartaric acid in grapes is the toxic component for dogs that causes disease. However, the toxicity mechanism in grapes is not clear and understandable yet. It is to be noted that ingestion of grapes or raisins of any variety or type can create toxicity signs in your dogs.
Symptoms of Grape Poisoning in Dogs
Taking good care will be the preventive measure of all the diseases in your dog. A lot of symptoms will develop in your dog when ingesting grapes or raisins. Some of the common symptoms of grape poisoning in dogs include one or a few of the below areas:
- Dog vomiting and diarrhea–Your pet will tend to show signs of indigestion, and you may see pieces of grapes/ raisins in their vomit or stools. It will happen only a few hours after eating the same.
- Increase in Urination (This happens during the initial stages). Increased drinking of water also followed them.
- You can also see decreased urination, which is followed by not urinating at all (This is a visible sign of your pet going to kidney failure)
- Loss of Appetite in Dogs–Your pet will not show any sign of hunger, and you can also see weight loss. Also, you can see more lethargy and weakness as well.
- Severe pain in the abdomen and bad breath
- Kidney failure–The kidney shuts down its function.
These symptoms will not take place in a single day. But make sure that if we see any of these symptoms of grape toxicity in dogs, we need to consult the vet immediately and treat your pet friend without further delay.
What To Do if Dog Eats Grapes?
Wondering can dogs eat grapes and what to do if dog eats grapes? If your dog has consumed grapes or raisins, treat it as an emergency and immediately take it to your vet for emergency clinical assistance. Make sure that you are not providing anything to induce vomiting if you are unsure what your dog is consuming or if it has breathing trouble, is not conscious, or is shocked. Generally, dogs vomit when they consume grapes. Still, regardless of the situation (whether it vomits or not), you need to take it to your vet for medical assistance and examination, as this is the only way to save your dog from any disease.
What is The Treatment for a Dog With Grape Poisoning?
Take your dog immediately to the veterinarian if your pet friend vomits or is not after ingesting grapes or raisins. As a first step in dog eat raisins treatment, your vet needs to clean your dog’s stomach to safeguard them. The treatment for grape poisoning is pretty simple. Just go through what is the treatment for a dog with grape poisoning.
- It induces vomiting in your dog to remove the fruit from your dogs digestive system. It generally starts with a very small percentage of H2O2 in your dog’s mouth (based on weight and age).
- They might also infuse activated charcoal to absorb the toxins generated in their stomach.
- Most importantly, your vet will ensure that your dog stays hydrated during the entire course of action. It might be through intravenous fluids.
can dogs eat raisins? The answer is no, because grape poisoning can even be fatal if not treated immediately. The main goal for treating dogs that ingest grapes or raisins is to minimize the possibility of their kidneys getting damaged. Remember that your dogs need hospitalization for nearly 48 hours so that your vet can give proper treatment (intravenous fluid therapy) and monitor the kidney functioning in your dog through bloodwork.
Conclusion
There is no preventive medicine for exposure to grapes/raisins. Hence, the owners should take better care of their pets to ensure grapes/raisins/ hazardous substances are out of their reach. And regular consultations with your vet during such circumstances prevent negative outcomes. Also, if you have kids in your home, let them know which food is safe and which could be a harmful threat to your dogs as a safety measure. You might surely enjoy sharing your food with your dog, but some exceptional cases, like grapes, are not good. Your dog believes in you a lot; be a good, caring, and protective friend, and give them a secure life out of all the dangerous situations surrounding them.