Raisin Toxcidity in Dogs
09-12-2011, 09:18 PM
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,648
My neighbor sent this to me...
Y'all may already know this, but if not it may keep your dogs
alive. A sad case!
If you have a dog ... PLEASE read
this and send it on. If you don't
have a dog, please pass along to friends who do.
Written by:
Laurinda Morris, DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic
Danville , OH
This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxicity
ever seen at MedVet. My patient was a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered
lab mix that ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and
4:30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about
1 AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7 AM.
I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute
Renal failure but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject. Wehad her
bring the dog in immediately. In the meantime, I called the ER service at
MedVet, and the doctor there was like me - had heard something about it,
but... Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control
Center and they said to give IV fluids at 1 & 1/2 times maintenance and
watch the kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.
The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32
(normal less than 27) and creatinine over 5 (1.9 is the high end of normal).
Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We placed an IV catheter and started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a liter of fluids. At that point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well as overnight care.
He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal values continued to increase daily. He produced urine when given lasix as a diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications and they still couldn't control his vomiting. Today his urine output decreased again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was at 10, his phosphorus was
very elevated and his blood pressure, which had been staying around 150, skyrocketed to 220 ... He continued to vomit and the owners elected to Euthanize.
This is a very sad case - great dog, great owners who had no idea raisins could be a toxin. Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very serious risk.
Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.
Onions, chocolate, cocoa, avocadoes and macadamia nuts can be fatal, too.
Even if you don't have a dog, you might have friends who do. This is worth passing on to them.
Y'all may already know this, but if not it may keep your dogs
alive. A sad case!
If you have a dog ... PLEASE read
this and send it on. If you don't
have a dog, please pass along to friends who do.
Written by:
Laurinda Morris, DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic
Danville , OH
This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxicity
ever seen at MedVet. My patient was a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered
lab mix that ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and
4:30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about
1 AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7 AM.
I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute
Renal failure but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject. Wehad her
bring the dog in immediately. In the meantime, I called the ER service at
MedVet, and the doctor there was like me - had heard something about it,
but... Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control
Center and they said to give IV fluids at 1 & 1/2 times maintenance and
watch the kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.
The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32
(normal less than 27) and creatinine over 5 (1.9 is the high end of normal).
Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We placed an IV catheter and started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a liter of fluids. At that point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well as overnight care.
He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal values continued to increase daily. He produced urine when given lasix as a diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications and they still couldn't control his vomiting. Today his urine output decreased again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was at 10, his phosphorus was
very elevated and his blood pressure, which had been staying around 150, skyrocketed to 220 ... He continued to vomit and the owners elected to Euthanize.
This is a very sad case - great dog, great owners who had no idea raisins could be a toxin. Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very serious risk.
Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.
Onions, chocolate, cocoa, avocadoes and macadamia nuts can be fatal, too.
Even if you don't have a dog, you might have friends who do. This is worth passing on to them.
09-12-2011, 09:35 PM
#5
Power Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,375
This is so odd. I had a Chesepeake that was almost 16 when she passed. She ate grapes in our yard all of the time, and I had no idea they were harmful. I don't know if she had built up a tolerance to them or not.
I do know that my little poodle doesn't get any people food at all. I just don't take any chances with her, and I wouldn't with my Chesepeake if I had known. The only exception is once in awhile I will give her a tiny little bite of bread. She is getting her teeth cleaned tomorrow and I am just a basketcase tonight worrying about her.
I do know that my little poodle doesn't get any people food at all. I just don't take any chances with her, and I wouldn't with my Chesepeake if I had known. The only exception is once in awhile I will give her a tiny little bite of bread. She is getting her teeth cleaned tomorrow and I am just a basketcase tonight worrying about her.
09-12-2011, 10:23 PM
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Dupont, WA
Posts: 1,063
Originally Posted by Sadiemae
This is so odd. I had a Chesepeake that was almost 16 when she passed. She ate grapes in our yard all of the time, and I had no idea they were harmful. I don't know if she had built up a tolerance to them or not.
I do know that my little poodle doesn't get any people food at all. I just don't take any chances with her, and I wouldn't with my Chesepeake if I had known. The only exception is once in awhile I will give her a tiny little bite of bread. She is getting her teeth cleaned tomorrow and I am just a basketcase tonight worrying about her.
I do know that my little poodle doesn't get any people food at all. I just don't take any chances with her, and I wouldn't with my Chesepeake if I had known. The only exception is once in awhile I will give her a tiny little bite of bread. She is getting her teeth cleaned tomorrow and I am just a basketcase tonight worrying about her.
09-12-2011, 11:07 PM
#7
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 185
Don't worry, Sadiemae! I had all of my animals teeth cleaned in March. Everything was fine. Had a few teeth pulled but no complications. Not even with the Chihuahuas who have throat problems.
I used to know someone who had an avocado ranch. Their American Bulldog ate avocados (plural) every day. When the vet found out, he freaked. Apparently, that's not a good thing. Dog was fine.
I used to know someone who had an avocado ranch. Their American Bulldog ate avocados (plural) every day. When the vet found out, he freaked. Apparently, that's not a good thing. Dog was fine.
09-13-2011, 05:18 AM
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Vermont
Posts: 6,985
don't forget chocolate is bad for dogs as well. And onions. Here is a list of all of them - some are surprising.
http://www.missouriscenicrivers.com/baddogfoods.html
http://www.missouriscenicrivers.com/baddogfoods.html
09-13-2011, 07:29 AM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Plainfield, IN
Posts: 390
What a sad story, and so easily avoided. Keep things out of reach, and make sure your dog knows "leave it." It's saved us several times, working in the kitchen--if something ends up on the floor, the dog is right there waiting to clean up. Most of the time we let her, if it's something harmless, but she knows "leave it." She won't leave it forever (sassy Corgi thinks she knows best), but it at least gives us a chance to pick it up.
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