Can dogs eat grapes?
The answer is a big NO. As a matter of fact, the toxicity of grapes and raisins is well documented. We do not know what is the toxic agent that can cause damage to a dog. Let us explore a bit about can dogs eat grapes.
How many grapes does it take?
Besides knowing about can dogs eat grapes, let´s discuss how many of them is fatal to them. Dogs of any size, breed and age can be equally affected by the toxic substance. Usually, to kill a dog, it takes a rather high number of grapes or raisins. According to research 9 out 10 top breeds will require more than three grapes to kill them.
Whatever the toxic substance that affects the dog, it will cause kidney failure and no production of urine. But, not all dogs will display this condition after eating grapes. Why it affects only some dogs is still a subject of study.
What are the symptoms?
Now that we know the answer to the question: “can dogs eat grapes?” let´s take a look at some symptoms. The ingestion of grapes or raisings will usually cause the following symptoms on a dog.
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea. Usually, these evacuations will include pieces of grape. This could be an indication of the system’s inability to process the fruit.
- Lethargy and weakness
- Dehydration
- Abdominal pain
- Anuria (No urination)
- Loss of appetite
- Seizures
- Tremors
- Coma
What to do if your dog eats grapes
If your dog shows any of the above symptoms and you suspect that he has eaten grapes, you should treat this as an emergency. This means that you should take immediate action. If you can confirm that he has ingested grape within the last two hours, you must induce vomiting.
Call your veterinarian for advice before inducing vomiting. If he has vomited already don´t make him vomit more. Try the following to induce vomiting:
- Offer a small meal if he hasn´t eaten within the last two hours.
- Administer 1 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide per pound of your dog´s weight.
- If the hydrogen peroxide does not work, you can try again but only after 15 minutes and only twice.
You must rush the dog to the veterinarian, where he might need to make a gastric lavage or feed him activated charcoal.
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