Dog owners have long used grapes and raisins as snacks and treats for their dogs, and chances are you have at least thought about doing so once in your lifetime. But the question is, can dogs eat grapes? Is it really safe for them to do so?
As we already know, some foods (especially when it comes to fruits) are extremely beneficial for your dog to eat, while others can be very toxic to their bodies.
So, what’s the case here?
Can Dogs Have Grapes? The Short Answer
The answer to this question is a big NO.
Even when eaten in the smallest of amounts, grapes pose a great toxicity danger to dogs.
It does not matter if your dog is male or female, what breed they are, what size they are or whether they are a puppy or a senior, the same risk is there for all dogs alike.
Also, it does not matter what kind of grapes we’re talking about, they’re all toxic to your dog. Be it red grapes or white grapes, seedless grapes or grapes with seeds, all grapes have the same toxicity risk to your dog’s health.
Why Are Grapes Bad For Dogs?
It has been proven time and time again that grapes can lead to kidney failure in dogs, which could potentially be fatal to your little friend.
It must be noted that this toxicity issue occurs in some dogs but not in others, so it’s a game of chance really.
However, some dogs that eat grapes once and show no ill signs, eat grapes later on and become very sick. Are you willing to take the chance and risk your dog potentially dying just for the sake of feeding them a couple of grapes?
Here are some of the symptoms your dog can exhibit after about 12 hours if they were intoxicated after eating grapes (and which are typically symptoms for kidney failure):
- Vomiting
- Greatly increased thirst and drinking due to dehydration
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Exceptional quietness
- Diarrhea – you may find pieces of grapes within the feces
- Stomach aches
- Refusal to eat
- Increased urination at first followed by a gradual decrease in urination, all the way to absent urination altogether
- Death in 3-4 days if kidney failure is present and untreated
- Long term kidney disease if your dog survives the intoxication and does not die
My Dog Ate A Grape – What Do I Do?
Immediate contact with your veterinarian and treatment is necessary to ensure no serious damage happens to your dog if they eat grapes, and before the toxins contained in the grapes take their toll on your dog’s body.
The best chances of recovery are when dog eats a small amount of grapes and receive immediate treatment before the toxins have been absorbed by their body tissues.
Once the toxins have been absorbed and kidney failure has kicked off, recovery chances are very slim and it could just be too late to do anything. By then, even if your dog survives the grape toxicity, they may be subject to permanent kidney damage.
If you can collect a sample of the vomit or diarrhea bout that your dog has exhibited and take it to your veterinarian, that would greatly help them determine exactly how dangerous the situation is and speed up the treatment process.
Can Dogs Eat Anything From The Grape Family?
Just like any form of grapes should be completely off limits when it comes to your dog’s diet, the same holds true for raisins.
Raisins are dried up and more concentrated grapes that pose exactly the same toxic threats to your dog just like grapes do.
Seriously, anything that comes from the grape family, contains grapes or grape extract in it (grape juice, grape jelly, grape popsicles, etc …) is a NO-NO for your dog.
Which brings us to the subject of wine, since it’s manufactured from grapes and poses the same toxicity risks for your dog. Some people think it’s okay to give their dog a couple of sips of wine so they don’t feel left out of the action, but now you know that this can ultimately result in your dog’s death.
Grapes And Dogs – The Conclusion
Grapes are nothing but a source of trouble for dogs, and should be kept out of their reach as much as possible.
Notify all your household or family members about the health hazard that grapes are to dogs and make sure no one ever gets this fruit anywhere close to your dog.
If the worst case scenario happens and you find out that your dog has eaten some grapes, you have to drop everything you’re doing and immediately get in contact with your veterinarian. Time is not on your side here, and any time lost is just adding to the severity of the issue and making any course of treatment more complicated.
my dog ate 3 or 4 grapes is he going to die
Yes, this is true. Grapes are harmful to dogs its highly toxic for them if you want to give fruits to your dog try other alternative treats. Contact your vet if your dogs happen to eat it, don’t risk coz it can be a serious problem later on.
Good advice – Thanks