Why Are Grapes Bad For Your Dog?
When it comes to feeding your dog snacks that you, as a human, might eat yourself, there are a number of foods that should be avoided. One of the foods that you should definitely not feed your dog is grapes.
Although they might seem harmless, they actually contain an unknown toxic substance that can severely harm your dog.
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Grapes Are Harmful to Dogs
According to a variety of sources, there is an unidentified toxic component of grapes that has been proven to cause kidney failure in dogs. The same goes for raisins, so these should also be avoided when it comes to offering your dog fruit-based snacks. Research is still being done on the toxicity of grapes in dogs, but until it becomes more clear, it’s best to avoid giving your dog grapes.
Furthermore, it does not matter whether the grapes are seedless or not, nor does it matter what color they are. There is no type of grape that is safe to feed to dogs. Similarly, grapes are equally toxic to all breeds and ages of dogs, so do not make the assumption that your dog might be safe from the toxic effects of grapes.
Symptoms of Grape Ingestion in Dogs
Of course, accidents happen. Dogs are often industrious animals and will gobble up any scrap of food that they can reach. If you think your dog has ingested grapes, it is important to pay careful attention to any signs or symptoms that could lead to severe sickness that might even end up being fatal for the dog.
The most common symptoms of grape ingestion for dogs include the following:
- Weakness and uncharacteristic tiredness
- Decrease in or loss of appetite
- Dehydration, often exhibited by a dry nose and mouth or excessive panting
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Noticeable increase or decrease in urination
There are many other harmful side effects of grape consumption in dogs, so it’s extremely important to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible if you think your dog might have ingested grapes.
Possible Treatment and Prevention Methods
If you think your dog has eaten grapes or raisins, your veterinarian will usually recommend that you induce vomiting as soon as possible. This will ensure that your dog can expel the toxin from their stomach before it can cause any lasting damage. However, you should never cause your dog to vomit if they are unconscious or having a difficult time breathing.
Furthermore, if you aren’t sure that grape ingestion is the cause of your dog’s distress, you should also avoid inducing vomiting. If your dog is exhibiting any of the above symptoms, but you cannot confirm that it is because they ate a grape or raisin, the best thing to do is to take them in to the closest emergency veterinary care facility.
In general, the best way to avoid the harmful effects of grape ingesting on your dog is to ensure that they cannot eat them in the first place. While it is sometimes difficult to avoid accidents, make sure that any grapes or raisins in your household are kept far out of reach of your dog. Furthermore, you should train your dog to not consume anything other than dog food.
Conclusion
In short, you should not feed grapes to your dog. Grapes are toxic to dogs and can even lead to kidney failure, which will likely result in death. There are plenty of other fruits that can make nice and healthy snacks for your dog, so it is important to do your research. When in doubt, it is best to avoid feeding dogs any human food in general.
For more information on what foods dogs can and can’t have please see our guide here.
