[starbuck8]

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 1AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't
call my emergency service until 7AM.

I had heard somewhere about raisins AND
grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn't
seen any formal paper on the subject. We
had 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 the 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 have 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 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.

Confirmation from Snopes about the above...

snopes.com: Raisins and Grapes Harmful to Dogs


Keep in mind that ANY kind of nut can be toxic! As well as Avocado's, Fruit seeds, garlic (lrg amounts) and Beer!... any alcohol for that matter!

Also, you should get and keep the number for the ASPCA Animal Control Center in a place where it's handy.

Please feel free to use this thread for any pet safety/health issues, or personal tips or stories you may have. Also, feel free to copy and paste this, to send this to friends and family who can benefit from this information!

[Silverfoxkit]

I was already aware of the risks of grapes and raisins, but sadly many people aren't. This is a good article. I thought I was going to have a heart attack the day one of mine ate a box of chocolates, and then turned around and ate incense. Luckily she only got an upset tummy from it. Dogs will eat just about anything, if they can get ahold of it. I'm still not sure how she managed to get the candy down! I think the cat might have knocked it off to do her in.

[Gem_22205]

Thank-you starbuck8 for this valuable information. Very informative.

[rex123]

Thanks for the info starbuck8 I am also aware of the fact that grapes and raisin can cause acute renal failure which is also known as sudden kidney failure, but it is good for the message to be passed around. Knowledge is one of the most powerful and valuable tools and unfortunately ignorance can prove fatal!

[mum2five]

Have passed it on

[starbuck8]

I was already aware of the risks of grapes and raisins, but sadly many people aren't. This is a good article. I thought I was going to have a heart attack the day one of mine ate a box of chocolates, and then turned around and ate incense. Luckily she only got an upset tummy from it. Dogs will eat just about anything, if they can get ahold of it. I'm still not sure how she managed to get the candy down! I think the cat might have knocked it off to do her in.

Had to spread the rep again! ;) Those darn cats will do anything to do in the dog... silly cats, they should know those dogs are crafty guys too! LOL! I guess I'm super lucky to have a picky and well trained dog. I can leave a plate of steak on the floor if I wanted to... and she won't touch it unless I tell her it's okay. I can't take all of the credit for this, I didn't get her as a puppy. I adopted her when she was 3. So a lot of her training does come from her previous owner. It still blows my mind that anyone would give her up. She's such a good girl. She has never gone to the bathroom in my house, never chewed up anything but her bones, and listens to pretty much everything I say. If I had to find anything to complain about, it would be her barking at "the air!" LOL!. but if that's all I have to put up with?. heck, I'll take that anyday! :D

[rex123]

Don't tell me the cats are trying to take over the owrld again... That would explain why mine ahs been acting strange lately...

[Silverfoxkit]

She's normally very good about taking food, she would have never touched it if I was in the room... but that yummy smelling stuff on the floor when no one was looking was just too much. No dog is perfect! I figured it wouldn't hurt to mention the dangerous non-people food that we might give our pets.

Pet Food Safety Center | The Humane Society of the United States

Here's a decent link with info on recalled foods and such.

[starbuck8]

Good info Silver! It's a great site to keep updated on recalled pet food!

[starbuck8]

This concerns a very serious emergency that is becoming more and more common. It is caused by what we call expandable water-activated glues. One common brand is called 'Gorilla Glue". This is a great product - works really well for gluing but is a disaster when ingested by dogs.

Take a look at this x-ray. (x-ray unavailable-- sorry!) This is a dog laying on his side - and that big round mass object (arrows) is the stomach full of glue. When the glue is ingested - it is activated and expands when in contact with water. It becomes a rock hard mass that cannot be digested - vomited or passed on. The only option is surgical removal.

I talked to a vet the other day that saw two dogs with this problem in one weekend. In fact - she showed me the photo's, and they were horrific.

Dogs are curious and naturally get into a lot of things that they shouldn't. It is not uncommon for this hospitalization, treatment, surgery - etc. to cost over $2,000 and even up to $5,000. That is A LOT of money. If this would also be a lot for you - consider pet insurance.

Some of the other common toxins and dangers to dogs include: antifreeze, grapes and raisins, food and gum sweetened with xylitol and human medications of all types - to name a few.

Please be aware of your environment and protect your precious dog from unexpected emergencies.

I hope this helps to keep your dog safe!

TIP:

Medication Toxicity

Some common medications can have serious effects on animals if not used correctly.

If your pet has ingested an unprescribed medication, contact your veterinarian or local veterinary emergency facility.

Give the name of the medication, how many and what dose your pet received, what time the ingestion could have occurred, as well as pet information such as breed, age and another health problems he/she may have. You may receive instructions of what to do at home or what to watch for.

In some situations, emergency examination and treatment are crucial.

Source:: PetPlace.com (has been edited as not to advertise or give any of my personal info.)

[Silverfoxkit]

Oh goodness, I didn't realize gorilla glue and the likes was so dangerous! I'm glad I don't have any around the house.

[Clough]

Hey, Starby!

Thanks for starting this thread! Great idea!

I house and dog sit frequently for some friends who have three dogs. The dogs are very used to licking what's left over in the bottom of bowls and pans.

Information on this thread will help me and others a lot!

Thanks!

[starbuck8]

Peanut Butter in Dog Treats - New Dog Treat Recalls

I wanted to give you an update on another pet food recall . As you may know, there have been several human deaths related to tainted peanut butter. According to the FDA:

"The source of the outbreak of illnesses caused by Salmonella Typhimurium are peanut butter and peanut paste produced by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at its Blakely, Georgia processing plant.

The problem peanut butter is sold by PCA in bulk containers ranging in size from five (5) to 1,700 pounds. The peanut paste is sold in sizes ranging from 35-pound containers to product sold by the tanker container. Neither of these products is sold directly to consumers."

This peanut butter is commonly used in processed foods that have peanut butter as an ingredient. That includes hundreds of products ranging from cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream to dog treats.

For more information on this and other recalls - please go to New Dog Food and Treat Recalls related to Peanut Butter. (link provided by Silver, post #8)

This is just a reminder for you to check the list frequently. I'd recommend that you review it each time you buy new pet food just to be safe.

P.S. If you want to make treats at home with peanut butter, the peanut butter commercially available to consumers is fine. If you want to do something special for your dog, here is a good recipe for homemade dog treats with peanut butter. Go to: Peanut Butter Dog Treat Recipe. (oops, the link didn't show up, but there are a ton of homemade dog treat recipes on the net)

[starbuck8]

Watch at your own risk! ;)

YouTube - The ABC25 News Blooper Reel: Puppy 25!

[rex123]

Oh my god the dog at 1:52 is so cute its like his eyes are looking into your soul, he is so beautiful.