Who doesn’t like to nibble on some juicy, delicious grapes? We all do, right? The same goes for our lovely fidas. They also want to enjoy this yummy treat. But can dogs eat grapes? Let’s get straight into it!
Can Dogs Eat Grapes?
No, they cannot. Grape, either peeled or seedless, is highly toxic for your dog’s health. It should never be included in a healthy dog’s diet. The same is true of raisins or dried grapes.
You might think, “Why are grapes so harmful?” Well, we are still not aware of the exact reason behind this toxicity, but many dog owners have experienced their pets suffering from kidney failure after eating raisins or grapes. Researchers are trying their best to determine whether these issues are caused by parasites or fungus; nothing is clear yet.
Symptoms Of Grape Toxicity
Let’s face the facts. Eating anything in front of the little pooch without sharing a spoonful makes us feel guilty. The bright-eyed fella expects his hooman to drop something on the floor for him, even if it is a grape. But that’s what causes the trouble.
If your puppy nibbles on one or more grapes, he may exhibit the following symptoms:
- The most apparent sign of grape toxicity is decreased appetite. You may have to keep an eye on his bowel movements to know whether the pup can finish his meal or not.
- Inability to stay active, laziness, and weakness are some other red flags of grape toxicity.
- Many dogs cannot digest grapes in any amount. Their bodies display immediate and severe responses. Most pet owners have found their fur babies vomiting within a few hours of grape consumption. Others have reported vomiting and diarrheal illnesses that made their pets extremely uncomfortable.
- abdominal pain or tenderness in the abdomen.
- Dehydration. You can test if the pup is dehydrated by looking at its dry nose and pale gums. Another way to examine dehydration in a dog is by gently pulling the skin at the back of the dog’s neck. If your dog is dealing with dehydration, it will not spring back immediately.
- A pup dealing with grape toxicity either drinks and pees a lot or finds it hard to urinate at all. In severe circumstances, dogs can face a complete cessation.
- Kidney failures lead to extreme outcomes, including fatalities.
What Can I Do If The Dog Eats Grapes?
If your loyal companion eats a grape and shows some symptoms above, immediately seek proper veterinary care. The best practise is to take your pet for a formal medical examination right away.
The symptoms mentioned earlier can be caused by other illnesses. It’s better to seek proper medical care if you are unsure what’s causing the pain. Only a qualified veterinarian can provide further guidance, so let the professionals do their work.
I just posted an article about what fruits are bad for dogs. Find out here.
Nobody Knows Why Grapes Can Kill Dogs
Another thing we like to do is to give you an explanation of why a specific food is dangerous for dogs. Here, we cannot do this. Can dogs eat grapes? No, it is toxic to all dogs. Why is it toxic? Nobody knows. All we know is that the toxin is present and it is in the meat of the grapes. Even if you remove the skin the toxin will still be in the grape and it is still dangerous.
All you actually need to know is that grapes are dangerous to dogs and don’t allow them to consume them. The worst thing you can do is to use grapes as a treat. Dogs will love it but they don’t know that it is poison to them.
Signs That Your Dog Ate Grapes
If your dog eats grapes he will likely develop grape poisoning. There is no need to add that this is a severe problem and can easily become a deadly one. The first thing you need to do is to look for these signs. If you notice some of them and you suspect that your pet ate grapes, call the vet and take your pet to the vet as soon as you can. The signs you will look for are:
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Massive thirst
- Abdomen is tender
- Dehydration
- Lack of appetite
- Weakness or lethargy
- He will pee a lot
- He will pee much less
Most dogs will develop almost all signs. Sadly, these signs are common for all kinds of diseases, issues, etc. In some cases, they are not very dangerous. But, in this case, they are and you will need to take a pet to a vet. There is no other way.
We must add that this will not happen if a dog eats one grape or two. If a bigger dog eats 2 grapes, he will most likely be fine. But, if your dog ate a lot or he has some medical condition that is linked to kidneys, he will be at much higher risk.
The Prognosis
Sadly, the prognosis is usually good or bad. There is no medium ground here. If your pet ate a couple of grapes only and you were able to take him to a vet as soon as possible, he would be fine. A vet will remove the grapes and help your dog remove the toxin from the blood. In this case scenario, your pet will recover completely and there are no issues present. A full recovery is almost mandatory in this case scenario.
If your pet consumes a lot of grapes and you need a lot of time to take him to a vet. Perhaps your pet has some kidney issues already. One way or another, if the kidneys are damaged, there is no recovery. Kidneys are unable to recover well and their regeneration is extremely limited. In that scenario, your dog won’t survive.
That’s why it is mandatory to protect your dog from eating grapes. They like the taste and aroma. They will even find a vineyard and eat grapes. This is the last thing you will want to do or see your pet doing.
Wrapping Up
Can dogs eat grapes? No, they must not eat grapes, period! Even a very small amount can be deadly and recovery is not possible. If you suspect that your pet consumed grapes, take him to a vet as soon as possible. The situation is the same with all types of grapes and all products that contain grapes. There is no safe alternative or safe type of grapes that your pet can eat all the time.
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