[mage lang="" source="flickr"]dogs grapes symptoms[/mage]
Dog owners often like to treat their dogs to a taste of our favourite foods but did you know that some foods that we enjoy can actually be poisonous to dogs and be fatal? Many people have asked me ‘Can Dogs Eat Grapes?’ so I want to share with you the dangers associated with feeding grapes to dogs.
WHY ARE GRAPES BAD FOR DOGS?
Grapes (and raisins) have been found to be toxic to dogs. Test results have been inconclusive so the exact reason is still relatively unknown. Pesticides that are used on grapes, heavy metals and fungal contaminants have been ruled out as being the cause of the problem.
It makes no difference whether the grapes are bought from the supermarket or from an organic farm shop, the effects on your dog would be entirely the same.
It is also thought that as few as 7 grapes can be fatal to a dog but as with other poisonous foods, the smaller the dog, the fewer grapes they would have to eat for it to be a serious problem.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF MY DOG EATS GRAPES?
Although we don’t know the full reason why dogs can’t eat grapes, the outcome tends to be the same. The first signs of a problem will be vomiting and the end result is usually acute kidney failure. This means that your dog would not be able to pass urine and therefore would be unable to perform the essential task of filtering the toxins out of their system.
WHAT DO I DO IF MY DOG EATS GRAPES?
There are some steps you can follow if you suspect that your dog has eaten grapes or raisins. Firstly, you should try to induce vomiting if your dog hasn’t already vomited.
You should then administer activated charcoal (or this should be the first thing you do if your dog has already vomited). You can make your own activated coal by toasting a slice of bread until it’s totally charred and it crumbles easily.
You’ve now done what you can to to help your dog so you now you should visit your vet. He will probably put your dog on intravenous fluids and monitor his blood daily. If your dog’s blood returns to normal after 3 days, he should be fine.
Grapes and raisins are not the only foods that are harmful to dogs.
Visit A DOG’S DIET to find out more about what human foods dogs can and cannot eat and get your FREE 6 Day Dog Training Course.
Discover how a woman with no qualifications learned how to confidently self-diagnose her pet and saved hundreds in unnecessary vet bills by clicking HERE
Good Luck!
Dog Grapes
