Jump to content
GreaseSpot Cafe

Warning For Dog Owners


WhiteDove
 Share

Recommended Posts

WARNING TO DOG OWNERS:

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 who 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 1:00 AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7:00 AM.

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 5:00 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.

Laurinda Morris, DVM

Danville Veterinary Clinic

Danville, Ohio

Here is some more info on this from Snopes Here

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's really sad, Dove. Frankly, I'm surprised a vet didn't believe that raisins and grapes are poisonous just because she hadn't read a "formal" paper on the subject. :huh:

When someone buys a border terrier they are given a list of things that are poisonous to dogs as well as information on what other kinds of things to be aware of to keep the dog safe, sound and alive. We are also given a list of items to keep on hand for a doggie emergency kit, what each item is for and how to use them. We are also given the phone numbers and directions for the emergency vets in our area. I would hope that any pet owner would gather that information on their own if it's not provided.

Other things that are poisonous to dogs are:

  • Chocolate
    (Cocoa powder and cooking chocolate being the most toxic)

  • Onions

  • Garlic in large amounts

  • Macadamia Nuts

  • Pear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pips (contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide posioning)

  • Potato peelings and green looking potatoes

  • Rhubarb leaves

  • Mouldy/spoiled foods

  • Alcohol

  • Yeast dough

  • Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffeine)

  • Hops (used in home brewing)

  • Tomato leaves & stems (green parts)

  • Broccoli (in large amounts)

  • Cigarettes, tobacco, cigars

  • Salt

  • Products sweetened with xylitol

  • Blue-green algae in ponds

  • Citronella candles

  • Cocoa mulch

  • Compost piles Fertilizers

  • Flea products

  • Swimming-pool treatment supplies

  • Fly baits containing methomyl

  • Slug and snail baits containing metaldehyde

  • Pain killers

  • Cold medicines

  • Anti-cancer drugs

  • Antidepressants

  • Vitamins

  • Diet Pills

  • Antifreeze

  • Liquid potpourri

  • Ice melting products

  • Rat and mouse bait

  • Fabric softener sheets

  • Mothballs

  • Post-1982 pennies (due to high concentration of zinc)

  • Mosquito Repellent for humans

There are also a lot of plants that are poisonous to our beloved pets. I hate to hear of accidents like this that could have so easily been avoided. :(

Regarding vet care..... I highly recommend that pets only be taken to an AAHA Certified Hospital (American Animal Hospital Association). AAHA is the world's leading association of companion animal practitioners. To achieve AAHA distinction, a hospital has to pass comprehensive inspections of the veterinary practice, management, facilities, and medical equipment.

To keep up with the growing wealth of knowledge in veterinary care, veterinarians and support staff should also participate in continuing education and training on a regular basis.

This is the only kind of facility I will entrust with my beloved Vixen's care.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's weird this comes up. My in-laws were watching our dog last weekend when we went to San Francisco. I reminded them that the dog can eat only HIS food because they are notorious for feeding dogs all the wrong stuff. When I showed the list from the internet to my mother-in-law, she said "They can go to HELL!!! I feed my dogs this stuff!!" She thinks she knows everything. She's 80 and has weird remedies like feeding the dog milk and raw egg to calm their stomach when they vomit. I asked her how she would like to have something like that after she barfed. Geez! I ended the conversation by saing "Please don't feed my dog anything OTHER than what I give you for him."

I feel so bad for her dog. She said her vet told her to feed him garlic cloves for a natural dewormer. I told her anything in the onion family is bad for them. I think she determined all this stuff herself. I want to take her dog away. Maybe I will when I move to another state....She'll never know. Maybe she won't get another. She sure doesn't deserve one.

I do give my dog mozarella cheese bits. I wonder about the salt content in those.

Edited by Nottawayfer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I am very confident in that list. That's not to say that dogs respond differently to different things, just like humans - they have differing tolerances and some of the things on that list are relatively safe at smaller doses, but over time or in large quantities can be fatal.

Regarding salt:

Too much salt can cause kidney problems and walking on salt, especially the salt used on roads & sidewalks during snow season can cause burns to the pads of a dog's feet.

Our pets need salt to stay healthy and to keep electrolytes balanced. But we need to know how much, too much salt can cause a dog to gulp down water and cause a life threatening condition called bloat, which causes the stomach to fill with gas and twist, leading to a most painful death unless emergency medical help is received immediately. Also it is very important to what kind of salt. Normal table salt is basically white poison for humans and animals a like. Table salt is chemically cleansed and heated at extreme temperatures. The excessive heat damages and alters the natural chemical structure. Table salt is also filled with absorbents and iodine.

Notta, cheese in moderation should be safe for doggies IF they can digest dairy. I've used cheese and hot dog pieces for training treats with Vixen and, as long as it's not every day and doesn't comprise most of the food for that day, it should be safe. Vixen weighs 14 lbs. so what's dangerous to her may be safer for a larger dog. Also, some dogs are more sensitive to dairy products and can't digest them. It gives them gas and diarrhea. Another problem is that dairy products are usually high in fat which causes pancreatitis.

Regarding potato skins:

It's the raw potato and most especially the "eyes" of the potato that are the most dangerous. Solanum alkaloids can be found in green sprouts and green potato skins, which occurs when the tubers are exposed to sunlight during growth or after harvest. The relatively rare occurrence of actual poisoning is due to several factors: solanine is poorly absorbed; it is mostly hydrolyzed into less toxic solanidinel; and the metabolites are quickly eliminated. Cooked, mashed potatoes are fine for dogs, actually quite nutritious and digestible.

ASPCA is where I got the list I posted originally, but any knowledgeable vet or reputable breeder would be able to confirm this information. I would not go to the one in Dove's original post.

The list is not comprehensive and does not include specifics on "why" or amounts. I really just meant for it to be a "heads up" - I'm no expert, just an over-protective dog lover with one very spoiled border terrier. :redface2: Obviously it's possible to go totally overboard on all this, but it is wise to be informed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was surprised to hear about grapes myself I've given my dog grapes he likes them first to play with then eventually to eat. He experienced no problems but I did not give him large quantities either. The same is true for onions all of our dogs have eaten pizza or spaghetti over the years without problems. I have heard varying opinions on the garlic thing, some pet foods have it in them. Also as far as vitamins and pain killers. The same ingredients are in both that are in the animal versions as long as the dosage works out to be the same they work fine. I say the list is a good rule of thumb and most of the items there is no reason that one would need to feed a dog these things. No more grapes for the fur buddy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Raw salmon carries a microorganism that can make a dog very sick. The vet says that cooked salmon is good for dogs, but I haven't had much leftover to feed a dog.

Spider bites are bad news. My dog came inside after playing in the woodpile and his face was so swollen I couldn't see his eyes. We called the vet and he said to bring him in right away. We did, the vet gave him 3 shots and we watched the swelling go down visibly over the next 5-10 minutes. Pretty amazing.

In addition to rodent bait, dogs can sometimes eat dead rodents that were killed with rodent bait. A good friend lost his dog that way.

I don't know about the salt. I had a vet years ago that recommended a particular dogfood because it had salt in it. He said it would make the dog drink more water which would be good for her kidneys.

The grapes/raisins thing is interesting. I often fed my dog a few grapes as he really liked them and they didn't bother him. OTOH, I know all too well that an unsupervised dog can eat (and OD on) a huge amount of whatever he finds tasty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WD, I sent the article you posted to my friends, and one of them sent it on to a family member. Here's her response:

"I will thank you every day for the rest of my life for sending me that

alert about the raisins... Mxxxxx has not had one day of his drooling

since we stopped giving him raisins!! I feel like the worst parent in

the world - to think that we were poisoning our dogs out of ignorance

it's inexcusable! Thank you!!!!!"

So thanks again--from me, my dogs, and my friends and their dogs!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow great I'll forward the message on to the one who sent me the note as well. Tell her not to be too hard on herself I have read these lists before many times and somehow missed the grapes thing as well. Lucca has eaten smal amounts with no sign of effects and as I said he loves to play with them before "killing" them as they roll around well. But his grape days are over..........

Edited by WhiteDove
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about cats??!! Anyone got a list of what not to feed them? I've inherited 2 neighborhood cats that are so friendly they let you do just about anything to them and still come back for more purring the entire time.. Anyways, I feed them scraps pretty often, but I'd hate to poison them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is another option in what to feed your pets, so as to avoid what not to feed them.

Pet food.

I don't mean to sound trite (really, I don't :biglaugh: ), but I pretty much keep my cat on the safe side by only feeding him cat food. I just focus on the brand that he takes to quicker than others.

Works for me anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

god must be watching out for my two babies

there was a dish of chocolate candies (covered in foil) on a table after our chirstmas party

i came home to find all of it GONE, foil and all

i would NEVER feed them chocolate

thank you god they were okay, sparkly poop and all

--

also, thank you for this thread

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Trust

You may just want to feed them just good cat food. I know cats have delicate systems. They need a high protein diet more than dogs but they are delicate in many ways.

http://www.petalia.com.au/templates/storyt...fm?story_no=257

Ex

If they ever do eat that, you can give them a teaspoon of peroxide to make them vomit if it has been with in 20 minutes of them eating it. If they do not vomit do it again in 5 minutes until they vomit. When they vomit stop of course.

That is for dogs -- I do not know about cats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

THanks for the info..

No cows milk for cats??!! Really?! Gee.. And all along I thought I was giving them a treat! Hehe..

I do feed them regular cat food, but like dogs, they always are looking for an extra snack.. Be it the leftover pork chop, fried chicken, or even spaghetti! It's really hard to resist feeding them that little extra, since they love it so much.. Especially rasol - aka chicken soup.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...