I just got the following in my e-mail:
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Warning for all dog owners

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 who
ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4 :30 PM on
Tuesday.
He started with vomiting, diarrhoea and shaking about 1 AM on Wednesday
but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7 AM. I had heard
somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute renal failure but
hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject. 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 Centre 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 I V
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 euthanise.

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 could be
toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats.
Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern. Feel free to
contact me if you have any questions.

Laurinda Morris, DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic
Danville, Ohio"

http://www.saveadogandkids.org/raisinstoxic.htm

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