Can dogs eat grapes?
Well, dogs and grapes are not the best of friends to be honest.
Grapes are known to cause health issues in dogs when consumed. The actual reason or cause of the problem is unknown, even to vets.
So if you ask us the question, are grapes poisonous to dogs? 9 out of 10 times we are going to answer that with a yes.
There are some exceptional cases where the dogs were absolutely fine even after eating a few grapes. But that doesn’t talk for all the dogs of the world, right? It is always better to be safe than sorry.
Can Dogs Eat Grapes, What Happens Next?
This is where it gets a little confusing. Why are grapes toxic to dogs?
People have no idea about which part of the fruit is causing the damage. But there are three cases when a dog eats grapes.
(i) The dog stays completely healthy.
(ii) The dog is well and good. But it gets ill when it consumes grapes for the second time.
(iii) The dogs get ill when it eats grapes for the very first time itself.
The first case is pretty rare. People come out and say that their pet is fine (in public forums where the topic is debated). Good for them. But we can’t take things for granted here. Intoxication, in this case, can lead to very serious consequences.
The chances are that your dog, if it eats grapes, will fall in categories (ii) and (iii).
Ok, fine. What happens next?
Grapes intoxication in dogs affects the kidneys. This means your dog’s kidney could fail, and if not taken care of properly, it might also lead to its death in three or four days.
Yes, Fatal.
That’s why it is important for you to take some quick steps as soon as you find out that your dog has swallowed some grapes in.
The first thing you should do is to look out for some common symptoms.
If your dog is affected by the consumption of grapes, it might start showing one or more of the following symptoms within the next 12 hours.
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lack of Appetite
- Weakness
- Lethargy
- Abnormal (or lack of) urination
- Abdominal pain.
- Dehydration
These are some definite symptoms that your dog might be suffering from, thanks to those grapes.
If you observe these symptoms, immediately rush to your vet and give him all the details he needs to come to a diagnosis. As the end result can be death, the earlier you take him to your vet, the better.
Treatment
Do not try to do anything by yourself. Only take steps if advised by your vet. Else just take him to your vet.
The first step in treatment would be to induce vomiting in an effort to bring out whatever your dog has eaten.
This can be done by giving your dog a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide solution for every five pounds of your dog’s weight. This is not to be repeated for more than three times with a time interval of ten minutes after each attempt.
Activated charcoal can also be used to prevent the absorption of toxins into the tissues.
A stomach wash or fluid therapy is given to the dog once it vomits. Fluid therapy will be continued for at least 48 hours, and urine output will be monitored to make sure everything is fine.
But, if the kidney can’t function properly i.e. it can’t produce urine, then it means that toxins have been absorbed enough. This will eventually result in the death of the animal.
This is why it is important to take your dog to your vet without delay if you think he has had some grapes by accident.
How to Avoid this Situation?
Dogs eat pretty much anything.
So, it is in your hands to make sure that your dog doesn’t eat anything that could potentially harm him.
Tell your family members, especially the kids, what they can and they can’t give to the dog. Not all human foods are good for dogs, so take immense care and ask the opinion of your vet before giving anything.
Also, try to make sure that your dog can’t reach inedible stuff like trash can contents and other stuff. Train him well.
Keep in mind that whatever you read for grapes is also true for raisins as well.
Raisins are just the dried form of grapes, and they have the same components as grapes. They are also known to produce the same effects in dogs, and that is not desired. So keep them away from your dogs as well.
Some other foods you shouldn’t give your dog include onions, avocados, Garlic, Chocolate, Bread dough and even macadamia nuts.
Other Safe Alternatives
Some fruits are great for dogs.
The list includes apples (without the seeds and cores), Watermelon (without the seeds), Strawberries, Blueberries, Cantaloupe and even bananas.
These are safer and give good health to your dogs. But not all dogs are the same, so make sure to get a nod from your friendly vet before you give your dog something new in his diet.
That’s all from us. Remember; DO NOT give your dogs grapes. The risk is just not worth the benefits if any. Rush to your vet if you think your dog has had any. Stay safe!
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