Just like humans, dogs love fruits…
Not only because fruits are sweet and delicious but also because they help keep your dog hydrated…
On top of that, they also contain some of the very important vitamins and minerals that you and your dog’s body needs…
But besides the vitamins and minerals, they also contain toxins. Those toxins are pretty much harmless to you, but they can cause a lot of harm to your dog…
In fact, one of the most toxic fruits your dog can eat is grapes, and if your dog does ingest grapes it could end up being life-threatening…
So if you’re thinking to yourself… “My Dog Ate Grapes And Nothing Happened” you’re going to want to read this article to the very end because we’ll be covering the following information…
- Are All Grapes Bad For Dogs?
- Why Are Grapes Bad For Dogs?
- Are All Dogs Affected In The Same Way?
- My Dog Ate 1 Grape… Should I Be Worried?
- Signs And Symptoms Of Grape Poisoning In Dogs…
- My Dog Ate Grapes And Nothing Happened…
- How To Treat A Dog After They Consume Grapes…
- How Likely Are Dogs To Recover From Grape Poisoning?
- How To Keep Your Dog Away From Grapes…
In the end, you’ll know exactly what to do if your dog did eat grapes, and you’ll be able to take the necessary steps to ensure that your dog stays happy and healthy…
Let’s start by discussing if all types of grapes are bad for dogs…
Are All Grapes Bad For Dogs?
The ASPCA says that all grape varieties are harmful to your dog, whether you get them fresh from your backyard garden or buy them in a grocery store…
That means that you should not let your dog eat red, green, seeded, or seedless grapes. It also means that raisins and currants are dangerous too because they are dried grapes.
Why Are Grapes Bad For Dogs?
Research has not determined exactly why grape poisoning happens in dogs, but it does lead to kidney failure which is a very serious and life-threatening medical issue…
What happens is that after the kidneys stop functioning, your dog may not be able to pass urine. Next, your dog’s blood pressure will probably increase quite a bit, and your dog may go into a coma…
So if your dog did ingest grapes you should contact a veterinarian as soon as possible even if it appears nothing happened…
Thus far, grapes have been tested for toxins, metals, and chemicals in hopes of determining the exact cause of the harmful effects…
Some researchers suspect that mycotoxin could be the reason why grapes are poisonous to dogs…
Mycotoxin is a toxic substance made by fungus, and it’s actually found in many foods including grapes…
Others suspect that salicylate is the problem because it’s an aspirin-like substance that might naturally occur in grapes, and it can reduce blood flow to a dog’s kidneys, causing kidney failure…
Other studies assume that since grapeseed oil is safe, the toxins could be in the grape skin. However, unless more research and evidence backs up that assumption, you should ensure your dog does not eat any grapes or grape-related products…
Are All Dogs Affected In The Same Way?
How grapes affect certain dogs can differ depending on several characteristics including:
• The size and age of the dog
• The general health condition of the dog
• The number of grapes the dog ate
• How long you waited before seeking medical advice
• Breed and genetics of the dog
Therefore, you should not compare the effect of eating grapes for your dog to what the effects could be on another dog…
Some dog breeds are just sturdier and more resistant to these types of things than other breeds, but if your dog is younger, has a smaller body, and has an underlying health issue when they ingest the grapes…
…the effects will probably be more severe than those in bigger, healthier, and more mature dogs who ate the same amount of grapes.
My Dog Ate 1 Grape… Should I Be Worried?
Because there are so many unanswered questions when it comes to the exact cause of grape poisoning in dogs, you should contact a veterinarian even if your dog ate 1 grape…
That being said, dogs are more likely to become poisoned if they eat large amounts of grapes, but please keep in mind that every dog is an individual and some dogs can be affected by small amounts…
So be sure to contact a veterinarian if your dog eats any grapes regardless of the amount.
Signs And Symptoms Of Grape Poisoning In Dogs…
Dogs can start to show signs of grape poisoning with in hours of eating grapes, but it could take days before there are any signs or symptoms…
The first thing that will happen (usually within the first couple of hours) is digestive discomfort. Your dog will start vomiting and experiencing abdominal pains…
After around 5 hours, diarrhea starts happening, and your dog may also start to experience lethargy…
Due to the vomiting and diarrhea, your dog will become dehydrated and very fatigued, which results in excessive thirst…
Some of the signs you’ll want to look out for that are indicators of dehydration include…
- dry mouth and nose
- shortness of breath
- pale gums
If you do not see any of these signs but suspect that your dog is dehydrated, pinch the skin around his or her neck…
If your dog is dehydrated, the skin will take some time to relax back into position. After 24 hours, renal (kidney) failure may happen and might worsen as time goes by if you do not seek medical attention fast.
You might also notice that your dog urinates less frequently, and that happens because of a drop in their blood plasma, a condition called hypovolemia.
My Dog Ate Grapes And Nothing Happened…
Because of the serious medical issues that can come with grape poisoning, and also because the signs and symptoms can sometimes be delayed…
It’s important to contact a veterinarian as soon as possible if your dog does ingest grapes (even if nothing seems to be happening)…
One of the easiest and quickest ways to get in contact with a vet is to do it right here online. So just click the link below and you’ll be able to talk with a verified dog veterinarian in a few minutes…
How To Treat A Dog After They Consume Grapes…
If you notice any of the early symptoms, contact your vet immediately. The main aim of responding fast is to increase your dog’s chances of survival…
You should also act fast because the longer the dog has the grapes in them, the more the toxins have time to negatively affect them…
One of the remedies the vet might give you is to try and get the dog to vomit the grapes. However, do not force your dog to vomit if you notice they are having trouble breathing or are anxious…
If you take your dog to the vet an hour or two after they ate the grapes, the vet may give them activated charcoal. That helps reduce the severity of the effects grapes can have on your dog…
The vet will also give your dog a lot of fluids to help your dog urinate, and that helps reduce the risk of severe kidney failure…
The vet will also probably monitor your dog as days go by and conduct blood tests. They will also probably test the kidney enzymes of your dog to look for any damages to the kidney…
If the tests show indications of kidney failure, the vet might suggest dialysis or other medications to treat your dog…
However, if the damages are severe and the kidneys no longer work to expel the toxins, unfortunately, chances of recovery might be slim.
How Likely Are Dogs To Recover From Grape Poisoning?
Unfortunately, the chances of dogs recovering from grape poisoning are not very high, especially if a lot of time went by before seeking medical attention…
The ASPCA conducted a health study with 43 dogs that had grape-related complications…
Out of the 43 dogs, only 23 survived which is only a little more than half, and out of the 23 that did survive, only 15 had a full recovery from all symptoms.
How To Keep Your Dog Away From Grapes…
One of the easiest, cheapest, and most effective ways is to simply keep all your grapes and products that have grapes in them at a level where your dog can’t reach…
It’s a good idea to store them in a high cabinet and to always have the doors locked or at least closed…
On top of that, you can also store them in air-tight plastic containers or containers your dog can’t bite through…
If you have grapes in your garden you can put up a fence around them and ensure that your dog can’t get through or jump over the fence…
Lastly, you should train your dog to be more obedient and to follow your commands such as “drop it” or “leave it”…
If you need help doing this, I recommend you check out a program called Brain Training For Dogs…
I like it because it’s highly effective, easy to follow, and you can access the program from the comfort of your own home…
If you’d like to learn more about how Brain Training For Dogs can help your dog become more obedient and leave harmful foods alone, click the link below…
Final Thoughts…
In the end, grapes, raisins, and currants can be extremely harmful to your dog if he or she swallows them…
They can cause grape poisoning which can lead to kidney failure and then potentially a coma or death…
So if your dog has eaten grapes (regardless of the amount), be sure to contact a veterinarian immediately because that will give your dog the best chance of a full recovery.