Can Dogs Eat Grapes? Are Grapes Bad for a Dog
As man’s best friend, dogs will beg to have a bite of anything and everything you are eating. As tempting as it is, and as cute as they look, it can be very harmful for dogs if we give them human food. As their owner, it’s your responsibility to be aware of your dog’s medical history, and to keep track of all of the foods that may cause them harm.
Can dogs have grapes? The fruit may seem like the perfect snack- they’re small, filled with water, and perfectly healthy for humans to consume. However, grapes are extremely toxic to dogs, and every dog owner should be aware that they should never feed the fruit to their pets. Both grapes and raisins, which are just dried grapes, are very toxic.
It doesn’t matter if the grape is peeled or seedless, and the age of your dog, their breed, and their gender has no influence on their risk of being affected. There is no proven amount that is safe, so you should not give your pet grapes or raisins at all. In fact, grape/raisin toxicity can even be fatal. Ingesting the fruit can potentially lead to acute, or sudden, kidney failure in dogs. When it comes to giving snacks and treats to your best friend, avoid giving them this fruit completely.
Are Grapes Safe for Dogs?
The basic answer is that grapes are not safe for dogs at all. While the toxic effect of grapes and raisins varies, there’s no doubt that some level of toxicity impacts all dogs, no matter the breed, if they ingest the fruit. Some dogs eat grapes and don’t become sick, while others quickly become very ill. Even if your dog eats a grape and seems fine, do not let them eat anymore.
Grapes are so toxic, there is a risk of only a few grapes doing a great deal of damage to your dog. Don’t assume that giving them only one or two means they will be safe. And if your friend or neighbor gives them as treats, it doesn’t matter if their dog is fine; it doesn’t mean yours will be. There are also a lot of unknowns about grapes, including what exactly makes them so toxic, and that’s partly why they’re so dangerous. If you suspect your dog has eaten grapes, immediately contact your veterinarian or the animal poison control for advice.
Possible Side Effects from Feeding Dogs Grapes
Side effects that impact dogs when they ingest grapes vary, and they can be distinguished by whether they are short term or long term.
In the short term, the first and most obvious symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. These usually develop within just six hours of eating grapes, and are often accompanied by the dog lacking energy or losing their appetite.
A more long-term symptom is poisoning. Rather than returning to normal, your dog will slowly get worse. The as-yet unidentified toxin within grapes slowly leads to poisoning, and this includes kidney failure. Signs of this can develop as soon as 24 hours after eating grapes, and last for the long term.
Symptoms of renal failure include the dog drinking more water than usual, having urinary accidents within the house, and passing bigger puddles. A worse sign still is when the dog is drinking a lot of water, but doesn’t pass any urine; this can mean their kidneys are already badly damaged. Without immediate and intensive treatment, within a few days to a few weeks, the dog may collapse and pass away.
Signs of a Toxic Ingestion
Luckily, even if you don’t see your dog ingest grapes in person, there are signs you can look out for that will alert you if your dog has ingested something toxic. These include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, unusual stillness, lethargy, or weakness, and sudden vomiting and/or diarrhea.
Those are the smaller symptoms that can be caused by many things; the big symptoms to look out for are dehydration, which includes pale gums, a dry nose or dry mouth, and excessive panting. If your dog is also suddenly very thirsty or is urinating a lot, or conversely, is suddenly not urinating despite drinking, these are further signs and some of the biggest indications they may have ingested grapes.
The worst sign is kidney failure, which can be fatal. If your dog is showing any of these symptoms, whether you have witnessed them eat grapes or not, you should take them to the vet immediately, as treatment is absolutely critical. Your veterinarian may suggest that you induce vomiting as soon as possible to get the toxins out of your dog’s symptoms and if you are sure it was grapes that they ate. However, do not do this if you are unsure what they ingested.
Breaking Down the Nutrients
So far, vets and experts have struggled to identify the toxins in grapes and raisins that make them so dangerous for dogs. This is partly why ingesting the fruit is so harmful for our pets. While researchers have found the part of the kidney that becomes damaged, they still don’t know what exactly grapes contain that does the harm.
Since grapes are so healthy and great for humans, this can seem counterintuitive. Grapes contain antioxidants, which help repair cell damage, anti-inflammatory properties, fiber, vitamins, and resveratrol. The fruit is incredible and has many benefits for humans—so at first glance it may seem that it’s beneficial for dogs as well. While dogs also need things such as fiber and vitamins, since the toxin is unidentified, it’s best to keep your dog away from this seemingly healthy snack, period.
Can Dogs Eat Grapes Conclusion
So, are grapes okay for dogs to eat? Unfortunately, grapes are not good for dogs, and can be extremely harmful for them. An unknown toxin in both grapes and raisins, which are great and healthy snacks for humans, can induce kidney failure in dogs and may even cause death in our beloved pets. While eating one grape may not cause your dog loss of life, vomiting and renal failure is common. Suffice to say, grapes should never be given to dogs.
