Cocker Specific Discussion > Feeding

Grapes and other poisons

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Lobo do Mar:
Hope this is the place for this

Salty scoffs everything from the floor
We live in a house with a large semi-wild garden in Portugal
There are grape vines
We never feed him grapes and try to clean them up since I know that they are not good for them, but grapes do fall to the floor and he is a hoover

'The internet' seems to say one grape will cause instant death (quite literally in many cases) but salty is alive and kicking and in very good health
As ever the internet is full of recycled blogs and things using copy paste and sensationalising to get clicks

However, the ASPCA says, Grapes and Raisins: Although the toxic substance within grapes and raisins is unknown, these fruits can cause kidney failure. Until more information is known about the toxic substance, it is best to avoid feeding grapes and raisins to dogs.'
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets

I do know that in Portugal there are a LOT of dogs (more per head than in UK IIRC) and a lot of gardens with grapes growing in them ....

Unfortunately, there seemed to be no 'NHS' site for the dog world where I could get sensible info

so, I did some research and found the Veterinary Poisons information service which is great and so I am sharing below (sorry if teaching to suck eggs!)

It seems that some dogs are fine after scoffing loads and others only need one grape to get very serious consequences:

'Not all dogs are affected and the reason for this remains unknown. There is also no apparent dose-response relationship. We have follow up information on over 1000 cases of grape and dried fruit ingestion in dogs but only a small number died or were euthanised.'
https://www.vpisglobal.com/2020/12/02/grapes-and-dried-fruits-christmas-cake-christmas-pudding-and-mince-pies/

'Grapes, raisins, currants and sultanas
These cause kidney failure in dogs, and potentially other animals too. The toxic mechanism is not understood and the quantity that can cause problems seems to be very variable. Some dogs have eaten large amounts and developed no effects, while others have gone into kidney failure after ingesting a small number of raisins or grapes. Even ingestion of cooked fruits in fruit cake (e.g. Christmas cake) or Christmas pudding can cause kidney failure.'
https://www.vpisglobal.com/common-poisons/

Perhaps the mechanism/ toxin is explained here?
https://www.vpisglobal.com/2021/05/05/cause-of-grape-induced-kidney-injury-in-dogs/

Pet poison leaflets:
https://www.vpisglobal.com/flyers-and-leaflets/vpis-poisoning-in-pets-focus-on/

bizzylizzy:
Thanks for this! There are so many things that can be potentially lethal for dogs and cats which we were rarely aware of before the internet, I cringe when I thing what I gave my previous dogs,  (including grapes), luckily with no ill effects but its awful to think I could have killed them! I do think dogs very a lot in what they can tolerate, but its always better to be on the safe side and the more informed we are, the easier it is to keep our dogs safe.

Jaysmumagain:
Thank you for this....it brought back a work friend of years ago, her spaniel(what else would it be) consumed a box of chocolates one night left on the table by her children, she came down next morning to one very sad looking dog, and soon saw the empty box on the floor.  As her two boys had opened the box she was unclear as to just how many he had eaten.

The result was the sad fellow was on a drip at vets for over two days over the Xmas period. Adding a large unexpected cost to Christmas.

You would be amazed at how many in the office had no idea the consequence of chocolate on dogs.

Finvarra:
Back in the elder days before the net, we didn't know this stuff. One of my scotties loved grapes, my mum would give her a couple when she had some, and there were no ill effects, at least in the short term, who knows about the long term? (She loved blackberries too, it was funny seeing her gingerly rolling back her lips as she negotiated the thorns to get a fruit).
My childhood spaniel sneaked a whole bar of my dad's Cadbury’s fruit and nut and scoffed it behind the sofa in secret, and he had no ill effects and lived til 18!
My current dog Dylan ate a snow drop bulb and we rushed to the vet where he was made to vomit and given charcoal.
You can't be too careful really, and it seems it's the luck of the draw with some substances.
If you cannot get to a vet and the dog has eaten something it shouldn't , a couple,of grains of washing soda will make them vomit. This has worked for me when one swallowed a burst balloon (twice 😬). Vet doesn't approve of it's use, but then they don't approve of old fashioned things that work, cos they can't charge for it 😵‍💫
Cheers
Lesley and Dylan

bizzylizzy:

--- Quote from: Finvarra on September 04, 2021, 09:13:21 AM ---
You can't be too careful really, and it seems it's the luck of the draw with some substances.
If you cannot get to a vet and the dog has eaten something it shouldn't , a couple,of grains of washing soda will make them vomit. This has worked for me when one swallowed a burst balloon (twice 😬). Vet doesn't approve of it's use, but then they don't approve of old fashioned things that work, cos they can't charge for it 😵‍💫
Cheers
Lesley and Dylan

--- End quote ---

Oh that‘s so true! My old vet had a trainee from Rumania (who has now qualified and taken over the practice and is wonderful!) who suggested giving Humphrey sauerkraut after he‘d swallowed something or other, he was hushed up very quickly by the vet and given a warning look!  :005:.
Hadn‘t heard of washing soda but it sounds like a good tip - how do you give it, dry or dissolved in water?  :luv:

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