Although not all dogs are sensitive to the toxic effects of grapes and raisins, there is no way to predict whether your dog may be affected. As susceptible dogs can experience gastrointestinal upset followed by life-threatening kidney failure, all grape and raisin ingestion should be considered a serious potential threat.

Despite research done by the Animal Poison Control Center team and others (Morrow, 2003), the toxin in grapes and raisins remains unknown. It has been determined that all grapes should be considered a risk; whether they are home-grown, commercially-grown, seeded, seedless, or even right off the vine.

Dogs must ingest a fairly large quantity of fruit to become ill. The lowest documented amount of grapes or raisins to cause kidney failure is 0.32 ounces per kilogram of body weight (Mazzaferro, 2004). This equates to approximately 1 grape or 10 raisins per pound of your dog’s body weight. There have been no cases of kidney failure documented by the ingestion of just one grape.

Susceptible dogs usually experience vomiting or diarrhea within two hours after eating grapes or raisins. Signs of acute kidney failure develop within 24 hours to several days after ingestion and include lethargy, depression, increased drinking, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and death.

The best treatment is prevention—keep grapes and raisins out of dogs’ reach. If you observe your dog eating grapes or raisins, seek veterinary attention immediately. Your veterinarian will induce vomiting to remove as many grapes or raisins as possible and then administer activated charcoal to help inactivate any remaining toxin. Depending on your dog’s condition, intravenous fluids may be recommended for 48 to 72 hours to help prevent acute kidney failure from developing.

Your dog’s prognosis will depend on how many grapes or raisins they eat, how sensitive they are to the toxin, and how quickly supportive care is initiated.

If you think that your dog is suffering from grape and raisin toxicity visit www.aspca.org/apcc for more information.

References:

Mazzaferro EM, Eubig PA, Hackett TB, Legare M, Miller C, Wingfield WE, Wise L. Acute renal failure associated with raisin or grape ingestions in 4 dogs. Vet Emerg Crit Care 14(3): 196-202, 2004.

Morrow C, Valli V, Volmer P, Eubig P. Canine renal pathology associated with grapes or raisin ingestion: 10 cases (abstract). Annual Meeting Am Assoc Vet Lab Diagn: 128, 2003.

Dr. Donna Spector , DVM, DACVIM
Dr. Donna Spector is a board-certified veterinary internist who practices in New York City. She has written and lectured extensively on nutrition, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders and other animal health issues.

Do you need vet advice? Post a comment with your veterinary questions and we will send them to Dr. Donna Spector to be answered in a future column.

March Madness is upon us, which means secretaries everywhere are more than likely printing out more NCAA Tournament brackets than invoices. If you want a shot at winning your office’s pool, the key is picking those nitty-gritty underdogs that always seem to ruin everyone’s bracket. Unfortunately for you, we here at Halo® can’t offer much help in selecting that kind of underdog, but here are some other kinds of dogs that will certainly be making their presence felt at the upcoming tournament.

Georgetown’s Jack the Bulldog

Jonathan VII from the University of Connecticut

Texas A&M University’s Reveille the Collie

Uga VI from the Univeristy of Georgia

Mississippi State University’s Bully the Bulldog

• Pets Help to Lower Blood Pressure - A recent study at the State University of New York at Buffalo found that people with hypertension who adopted a cat or dog had lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations than did those who did not own a pet. (Dr. Karen Allen, State University of New York at Buffalo)
• Pets Help to Reduce Stress - Walking with a pet helps to sooth nerves and offers instant relaxation. Studies conducted worldwide have shown that the impact of a stressful situation is lesser on pet owners, especially males, than on those who do not own a pet. (Josephine M. Wills, Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, United Kingdom)
• Pets Help to Prevent Heart Disease - Because pets provide people with faithful companionship, research shows they may also provide their owners with greater psychological stability, thus a measure of protection from heart disease. (National Institute of Health Technology Assessment Workshop: Health Benefits of Pets)
• Pets Help to Lower Health Care Costs - People with pets actually make fewer doctor visits, especially for non-serious medical conditions. (National Institute of Health Technology Assessment Workshop: Health Benefits of Pets)
• Pets Help to Fight Depression - Pets help fight depression and loneliness, promoting an interest in life. When seniors face adversity or trauma, affection from pets takes on great meaning. Their bonding behavior can foster a sense of security. (Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship)

Your pet’s stuff: What stuff does a pet need? Well, lots more than most of us expect. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals the average annual bill for toys and treats for a medium-size dog is around $75. For a cat, it’s around $50. This, of course, does not count multiple pet beds, crates, carriers, litter boxes (and litter) or the occasional piece of couture.Veterinary: Veterinary bills are a realistic aspect of responsible  pet ownership and in major metro areas, annual veterinary expenditures average $100-$250 for basic healthcare. For pets with serious illness, veterinary care expenses can be significantly more. Pet insurance is available to assist with the financial aspects of pet ownership.Grooming: Grooming is an important function for all pets, it’s important to keep their claws maintained and that overgrown or matted hair doesn’t get the chance to cause skin problems. Talk with your vet first about what he or she believes is a proper grooming regimen for your pet, and shop for a groomer based on experience and familiarity with your pet’s breed. Grooming rates vary by community and size of the pet, with per-visit rates range from $20 - $100.Daycare, pet-sitting and lodging: Very few people can take time out of their workday to go home and walk and play with their pets. Likewise, many people fear taking pets on cross-country trips in cars and planes.  Depending on the community, daily dog-walking services average $20 +, overnight kennel services $30 +, and pet-sitting services average $50 +/day. It’s always best to get references from local services, veterinary clinics and most important, fellow pet owners. Also, check the Web site for the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters.

Sooner or later it had to happen! A crisis so large, it cripples the pet industry – (temporarily) and makes people finally stop to think that what they just might be feeding their pets is making them feel bad, or worse – even causing their deaths!

I won’t go into the bad news here. You have been bombarded by it on TV, radio, the internet and newspapers. The giant pet food recall is a reality though, because the pet food industry has been sadly based on bottom line profits alone, and not on what’s best for the animals we love!

However, that being said - I’m going to give you the good news on this blog site. You’ll find the information here is intended to be thought provoking, while providing you with answers to the most frequently asked questions about how to keep your pets out of the vets. You’ll find everything you need to help you make wiser choices.

The simple philosophy is that what an animal (or human) eats can either make them well or keep them in a stuck state of health. Let’s face it; some people actually can live on potato chips and beer. Not necessarily very well or very long – but they can live on it. Same holds true for the pets. Most pet foods contain an overabundance of grains (which are used as fillers, and are the cheapest of all the food stuffs). Couple these with chemicals and preservatives; it’s no wonder that over time those ingredients build up in those little dog and cat organs and wreak havoc on their immune system.

Once you get the hang of it, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to actually approach pet care and animal wellness from a holistic standpoint and help keep them well. For the last twenty years, I have been teaching a holistic approach to wellness for the animals. In 1986 I was laughed at, because I started a holistic pet product company that no one thought would take off. Because of my vast experience in helping people like you to understand about the importance of diet, nutrition and natural health – I have fulfilled my heart’s desire to help thousands of pets to thrive and live happier, healthier, drug free lives.

Here you’ll find easy recipes for making delicious and nutritious homemade meals and treats. I’ll even give you the short-cuts so that the “kitchen challenged” or the guy or gal on the go can forego the fuss altogether and still ensure their pets get the very best and safest products on the market. You’ll also find my favorite books and links to everything to help you and the ones you love to live better. When our animals feel great, it enhances our own well being!