Many owners will give their dog fresh fruits and vegetables as a part of a healthy diet.
However, a recent report from the ASPCA, Animal Poison Control Center has information on several cases of kidney failure resulting from the ingestion of large amounts of sun-dried raisins or fresh grapes.
The amounts consumed varied from 9 ounces to 2 pounds. Symptoms observed were vomiting within a few hours of ingestion, loss of appetite, diarrhea, lethargy, and abdominal discomfort. Within 24 hours to a few days, the blood test creatinine, which is a measure of kidney function, was elevated and urine production was drastically decreased or zero. Aggressive veterinary treatment was needed but the toxicity in some cases was fatal even with therapy.
So if your dog ingests large amounts of raisins or grapes, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.
(Submitted by Dr. Marie Weber)
