“Magoo was a big and playful labrador retriever who often got into difficult situations …”
So begins a story in the latest ASPCA report about foods that can be toxic to dogs. Turns out Magoo crawled into the pantry and got hooked on a pound of raisins. He ate it all, of course.
The ASPCA never mentions Magoo’s fate. But they do tell us that just a handful of raisins can harm a dog’s health and has been fatal to some. The same for the grape.
Who knows?
Growing up, I thought of our family’s dogs as “the first cycle of the dishwasher.” They were good waiting their turn for what we left on our plates, and we weren’t too concerned about offering them “people’s food”. It never crossed our minds that the health of our dogs could be affected by measly food scraps. We thought that what was safe for us was safe for our pets.
Also, whenever I ate grapes, I liked to give one or two to our German Shepherd “Tiffany”. Grapes always came out of her mouth when she tried to bite into them and Tiffany, always good, refused to give up until she crushed them into submission. It guaranteed at least 60 seconds of harmless fun.
Tiffany also liked to chew gum (she chewed it, wrapped and all, but she wouldn’t swallow it!). We had the sugar-free type, which is often sweetened with xylitol these days.
Little did I know that he could have been poisoning our family pet! (More on xylitol below).
Why are grapes harmful?
As for grapes and raisins, no one is sure why they are harmful. It has been confirmed that even grapes grown without fertilizers or pesticides can be toxic to dogs. But not for all dogs, and not all times. It is also not known whether small amounts consumed over a long period of time could have a cumulative effect.
What we do know is that the end result in almost all reported cases of grape or raisin toxicity is acute kidney failure. (The term “acute” means the condition is severe and comes on quickly.) The dog is ultimately unable to produce urine, which means it cannot filter toxins from its systems, an essential process for life.
During the twelve-month period in which the effects of grapes were studied, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center handled 140 cases involving one or more dogs. More than a third of the dogs developed symptoms ranging from vomiting to kidney failure, and seven dogs died. The ASPCA based its study on reported cases, so naturally there may be cases where a dog’s health is not affected by eating grapes. But until they know all the facts, The Society advises against feeding grapes or raisins in any quantity to pets.
An ounce of prevention
So your dog just bought a big box of raisins. What should a pet owner do?
The first line of defense, if the grapes or raisins were recently eaten, is to induce vomiting and administer activated charcoal (absorbs toxins in the GI tract). Vomiting is also the first sign that your dog is in trouble, so jump straight to activated charcoal if he has already vomited. (In a pinch, you can make your own activated charcoal by charring a toast until it turns black and easily crumbles.) Then call your vet right away.
Can’t contact the vet? To call ASPCA Poison Control: 888-426-4435
The vet will keep your dog on IV fluids for at least 48 hours and will monitor blood chemistry daily. A normal blood test after 3 days usually means that your dog is clean.
Keeping a watchful eye, of course, is the best way to keep your pet out of trouble. Like children, dogs (and other pets) have a knack for mischief when we are not looking.
It’s not just the grapes …
There are other foods that your dog should stay away from, and some of them may surprise you.
Here are some other foods that can endanger a dog’s health:
Chocolate
Who can resist chocolate? I like your not your dog.
Chocolate is made from cocoa beans, and cocoa beans contain a chemical called theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. Different types of chocolate have different effects on the health of dogs. Dark chocolate has the largest theobromine, coming in at a whopping 450mg (compared to 1mg for white chocolate). So on Valentine’s Day, you are really being nice to your best friend if you eat all the chocolates yourself!
cocoa mulch
Cocoa bean shells are a by-product of chocolate production (which is how mulch got into the “food” category) and are popular as landscaping mulch. Homeowners like the attractive color and aroma, and the fact that the mulch breaks down into an organic fertilizer. However, some dogs like to eat it and it contains theobromine.
Fatty foods
Fatty foods are difficult for a dog to digest and can overload the pancreas, leading to pancreatitis. This can threaten your dog’s health and is potentially fatal.
Walnuts
Macadamia nuts should be avoided. In fact, most walnuts are not good for dog health as their high phosphorus content is said to cause bladder stones.
Mulch
Mulch is not food, but there is one kind that is tempting enough for dogs to eat. Some dogs are attracted to cocoa mulch and eat it in varying amounts. The shells of coca beans can contain 0.2% to 3% theobromine (the toxin) compared to 1 to 4% in raw beans.
Onions
Onions, especially raw onions, have been shown to trigger hemolytic anemia in dogs. (Stephen J Ettinger, DVM and Edward C. Fieldman, DVM’s book: Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine vol. 2 pg 1884.) Stay away from onion dust too.
Potato
Potato poisonings among people and dogs are rare but have occurred. The toxin, solanine, is poorly absorbed and is only found in green shoots (these are found on tubers exposed to sunlight) and green skins of potatoes. This explains why incidents rarely occur. Keep in mind that cooked mashed potatoes is fine for dogs’ health, it’s actually quite nutritious and digestible.
Artificial sweeteners
Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, especially sugar-free gum and candies. Swallowing large amounts of xylitol-sweetened products can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar in dogs, resulting in depression, loss of coordination, and seizures. According to Dr. Eric K. Dunayer, Consultant Veterinarian in Clinical Toxicology at the Poison Control Center, “These signs can develop quite quickly, sometimes less than 30 minutes after ingestion of the product,” states Dr. Dunayer, “… therefore, it is important that pet owners seek immediate veterinary treatment.”
Turkey
Turkey skin is currently believed to cause acute pancreatis in dogs, in part due to its high fat content.
Other foods listed by the ASPCA as harmful:
Alcoholic drinks
Lawyer (the only “fatty” member of the vegetable family)
Coffee (all forms of coffee)
Moldy or spoiled food
Salt
Yeast dough
Garlic
The bottom line
Thanks to a more educated public, fewer deaths from foods like chocolate are being reported these days. But it is important to keep up with what is currently known about food and its effects on the health of dogs. Grape and cocoa mulch, for example, was recently found to have harmful effects.
Check back frequently with sources like the ASPCA, or subscribe to “Cold Noses News” and we’ll keep you posted. (You’ll also get a ton of great doggy stuff along with your free registration.)
Of course, being vigilant and taking your pet to the vet right away will help ensure a happy outcome if something unfortunate happens.
Here’s to the health and good nutrition of your dogs!