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My dog loves grapes! Apparently NOT a good idea


-----Original Message-----
From: Ursula Sauthier ]
Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2004 9:40 PM

Subject: FW: 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 cannister of raisins sometime between
7:30 AM and 4 :30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea 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 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 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 cute 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 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