Raison toxicity in dogs

[Cindi]

I got an e-mail this morning, I thought that I would pass on this information to all my friends who have dogs here.  I never would have thought that raisons, (along with compost piles), could have a toxicity toward dogs.  Wonder how long it will take this e-mail that I forwarded to all my friends who will forward to all their friends, who will in turn forward to all their friends, to go around the world?  Powerful stuff.  Have a beautiful and wonderful day, Cindi

If you have a dog... PLEASE read this and send it on.  If you don't have dog, please pass along to friends who do.Written by: Laurinda Morris, DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic
Danville , Ohio


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 this.  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 I V 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.

[reinbeau]

Some dogs are more susceptible than others.  I had a lab mutt when I was growing up that could eat every single thing they're saying could kill a dog, with no ill effects.  Doesn't mean you should feed raisins to your dog, that's not what I'm saying.  Be careful with your pets!

Another thing that can kill a susceptible dog are onions.  My basset hound, Molly, was especially susceptible to them.  I had no idea they could kill her, and just the small amount in people food sent her over the edge.  For years my then husband and I knew she had a tricky stomach, but we both got lazy and succumbed to her yearning eyes - and it darned near killed her!  Thank goodness a friend brought me an article from Prevention, and it outlined every single symptom she was having.  Even the vet didn't know anything about it, I brought in the article and we were able to stabilize her through a special diet.  The symptoms mimic leukemia!  She was about to go on chemotherapy, thankfully we figured it out in time.

She lived a good five years after that (she did eventually die of cancer when she was almost 13). 

Here's a list of toxic substances for dogs.

[Cindi]

Ann, I very briefly skimmed over these pages, I have bookmarked them to look over more closely later.  This is unbelievable stuff and I am sure not many dog owners realize what can be so bad for their loved pets.  I will be reading more closely later.  In a couple of minutes I have to get my houseload of kids ready to go to school.  Eeeks, life is beautiful, busy and I'm lovin' it.   Have this beautiful day as yours, and to all of us, best health, winter is coming, and along with it, we must try extra hard to keep our health.  Cindi

[KONASDAD]

to rasins and onions add chocolate. Some dogs can eat it, others get kidney failure. But the comppost pile really caught me by surprise too. Ibuprofen will kill too. The most deadly howver is ant-freeze. Number one poison killer to dogs. It tastes good to them for some reason.

[randydrivesabus]

another night of all night barking and its sun maid to the rescue.

[Robo]

It tastes good to them for some reason.

Ethylene glycol taste good to humans too, nice and sweet   The quickest way to tell if your car has blown a head gasket or cracked head or block is to taste the condensation on the top of the dipstick If it is sweet,  you have major engine issues

Propylene glycol is used in the non-toxic anti-freezes, an ironically is also used as a sweetener in cough syrup   Only thing is it is a lot more expensive than ethylene glycol and therefore not as popular for anti-freeze.

[JP]

[quote author=randydrivesabus
another night of all night barking and its sun maid to the rescue.

That's not funny my man, not one bit. There are humane ways to deal with that problem.

[BenC]

We used to grow lots of grapes, pickers would get lazy and not bend down to pick low bunches so they would be left to hang.  After a week or three they would ferment on the vine and a dog I had would go over and eat them where they hung, it was hilarious.  She would get intoxicated off of them and get all sloppy wandering around.  I swear I could tell the dog was grinning too.  It would also eat the rotton berries from the Amur corktrees when they fell and would get all screwy.  (birds would get into those berries too) I've never seen any other dog get into the things that one did.   I've never heard about the compost pile warning, where can I learn more about that one?

[randydrivesabus]

[quote author=randydrivesabus
another night of all night barking and its sun maid to the rescue.

That's not funny my man, not one bit. There are humane ways to deal with that problem.

i know it doesnt come through on a message board so well but i was just kidding. i love my 4 loud mutts.

[JP]

>I know it doesnt come through on a message board so well but i was just kidding. i love my 4 loud mutts.

No problem, my brother from another mother. Lots of dog lovers here, myself included. Have a great day.

[KONASDAD]

We used to grow lots of grapes, pickers would get lazy and not bend down to pick low bunches so they would be left to hang.  After a week or three they would ferment on the vine and a dog I had would go over and eat them where they hung, it was hilarious.  She would get intoxicated off of them and get all sloppy wandering around.  I swear I could tell the dog was grinning too.  It would also eat the rotton berries from the Amur corktrees when they fell and would get all screwy.  (birds would get into those berries too) I've never seen any other dog get into the things that one did.   I've never heard about the compost pile warning, where can I learn more about that one?

I rememeber similar evenst w/ wild grapes as a kid. You couls smell the achohol after a frost. The foxes and birds would get all loopy!

[kathyp]

my grape vines are inside my dog yard.  they do eat them and pick the cherries too.  i had one dog that could pick the cherries off the tree and leave the pit hanging.  guess i have been lucky.  they do not seem to have a problem...

[randydrivesabus]

my wife is a vet tech and i asked her about this and she said that its doesn't apply to all dogs....some get kidney failure and some don't.

[Robo]

We use to dump a truck load of apple pumice from the cider mill in the field to help the deer thru the winter.  Had to stop after one warm winter and a lot of fermenting   Too many happy dancing deer

[kathyp]

we have a lot of wild apples + the 15 trees i have.  a few years ago we had a warm fall and happy deer. you could smell fermenting apples all over the place and we had herds of deer every night having a party behind the house