Can dogs eat grapes? They are bad for may animals, but what about puppies and adult canines? Surely they are okay for them, right?
Well, the answer may shock you.
Can Dogs Eat Grapes?
Grapes have all kinds of great benefits for humans, including antioxidants that are known to heal or at least slow the progression of some cancers. Grapes have also been known to help with kidney problems, indigestion, constipation, and even macular degeneration in people.
With all the health benefits grapes have for people, it’s natural to wonder if dogs can eat grapes too. But the reality is that sharing those delicious grapes with your dog isn’t a good idea and as a matter of fact could even do your dog serious harm.
Why Are Grapes Bad for Dogs?
Although the reasons why are still unknown, grapes are very bad for dogs. In fact, grapes are considered toxic for dogs. Dogs that eat grapes, can experience lack of appetite, dehydration, diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy and even very rapid kidney failure.
So, if you love grapes or if you have young kids that love grapes, make sure they know how dangerous grapes can be for dogs. If you drop a grape and your dog gobbles it up, you may not see any ill effects. But if your child drops even three grapes and the dog eats them, it could spell disaster for your dog.
Time is of the essence when getting your dog treatment for grape toxicity. If you suspect your dog has eaten grapes, get them to a veterinarian as quickly as possible for treatment. Of course, there are no guarantees but the quicker you can get your dog to a vet for treatment, the more likely it is that something can be done before the toxicity causes kidney failure and becomes fatal.
Can Dogs Eat Raisins?
Now that you know grapes can be so harmful for your dog, you may be wondering if raisins are bad for dogs? The answer is unfortunately yes, raisins are bad for dogs too. These tiny little dehydrated grapes seem innocent enough but they can cause some of the same issues for dogs that grapes do such as vomiting, stomach pain, dehydration, and loss of appetite.
So, consider raisins toxic for dogs as well. Take every precaution to make sure your dogs don’t eat raisins. Just a small snack size box if left where your dog can eat it could put your dog in very serious distress. The same is true for cookies or other baked goods such as bagels that may contain raisins. Do not share these kinds of treats with your dog or leave them where your dog can possibly get into them.
Why Are Raisins Bad for Dogs?
Like with grapes, the reason for the toxicity of raisins for dogs are not known. You might think since raisins are so small, it would take a lot of them to have any ill effects. But the truth is that even a very small number of raisins can seriously harmful for your dog and can even be fatal. If your dog eats even a small number of raisins, you can see symptoms, like vomiting and diarrhea, within just a couple hours.
If you are positive your dog ate raisins or grapes, try to get your dog to the vet as quickly as possible. If your dog is not yet unconscious and doesn’t appear to be having trouble breathing or to be in shock, get your dog to throw up if you can. If your dog vomits, it can prevent the toxins from the raisins from being absorbed fully.
What Other Foods Are Bad for Dogs?
Honestly dogs can eat quite a lot of human foods and even some non-foods without experiencing any ill effects. You’ve probably heard that dogs cannot have chocolate, coffee, or anything with caffeine in it. Now you can add grapes and raisins to the off-limits list for your dog.
But there are also some other foods that you should avoid feeding because they are toxic or can harm your dog including:
- Coconut
- Avocado
- Macadamia Nuts
- Garlic
- Onions
- Chives
- Yeast dough
- Alcohol
If your dog does get access to any of the above foods, put in a call to your regular veterinarian for advice on treatment. If you cannot reach your regular veterinarian, take the dog to an emergency vet clinic for evaluation and treatment as soon as possible. Like with grapes and raisins, there are many things dogs eat that are bad for them which can be even worse as time goes by without treatment. With dogs, it’s always best to consult your vet before taking a “wait and see” approach.