My Dog Ate One Grape Should I Worry

by

While a favorite and healthy snack for people, grapes, raisins and currants can cause kidney failure in dogs. Raisins can commonly be found in combination with other foods, potentially increasing the risk of exposure as compared with grapes and currants. The toxicity concern is the same.

Based on known cases of grape toxicity in dogs, even one or a few grapes or raisins can cause acute kidney failure, which can be fatal. Kidney failure is not seen in all dogs that eat raisins, but we don’t know why some dogs are affected excessively while others are not.

Signs of Grape Poisoning in Dogs

My Dog Ate One Grape Should I Worry

My Dog Ate One Grape Should I Worry

Whether your senior or adult dog or puppy ate grapes, raisins, or currants, there are certain signs you should be looking out for to determine if it’s time to take him to the vet. Signs of grape and raisin toxicity include:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Drinking a lot, at first
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Weakness
  • Lethargy
  • Bad breath
  • Increased urination at first, and then a decrease in urine production when the kidneys start shutting down
  • Dehydration

    • Typically, you’ll see symptoms between 12 and 24 hours after ingestion of grapes, raisins, or currants, or drinks grape juice.

    If anything seems off about your dog, then you need to be in touch with your vet right away. If your vet’s office is closed, then make sure you take your pup to a 24/7 animal hospital for immediate treatment. Grape poisoning can lead to kidney damage and ultimately acute kidney failure and death.

    What Are the Symptoms of Grape Poisoning?

    Your dog may vomit or experience diarrhea, which can make it lethargic and dehydrated. If you know for sure your dog consumed grapes, and it doesn’t vomit, you can try to induce vomiting. Call CVETS first for advice on how to do that safely. Take your dog in for emergency care immediately, if it is:

    • In shock • Unable to breathe easily • Unconscious

    If you have observed pieces of grape in your dog’s vomit or feces, or if you saw it eat grapes, tell our vet. He or she will know immediately what to do.

    Other symptoms of grape poisoning include:

    • Exceptionally bad breath • Increased thirst • Increased amount of urine, or no urine • Pain if you touch the abdomen • Refusing to eat or drink • Seizures or tremors • Weakness

    Veterinarian attention is needed as quickly as possible for these and any unusual or abnormal behavior.

    What is the toxic dose?

    Unfortunately, there is no well-established toxic dose for any of these fruits but there are two principles to keep in mind: 1) Dogs are more likely to become poisoned if they ingest large amounts of fruit and, 2) there appears to be ‘individual’ sensitivity in dogs. Some dogs appear to be tolerate to small doses of the fruit without consequence while other dogs may develop poisoning after eating just a few grapes or raisins. At this time, there is no way to predict which dogs may be more sensitive.

    FAQ

    Will my dog be okay if he ate one grape?

    Can a Single Grape Kill a Dog? Unfortunately, even one grape/raisin toxicity can even be fatal. Ingesting the fruit could potentially lead to acute (sudden) kidney failure in dogs.

    What happens if a dog accidentally eats a grape?

    What are the symptoms of grape or raisin toxicity? The most common early symptom of grape or raisin toxicity is vomiting. which is generally seen within 24 hours hours following ingestion. Lack of appetite, lethargy, and possibly diarrhea can be also seen within the next 12-24 hours.

    What to do if dog eats half a grape?

    If you know your dog has ingested a grape or raisin – even just one or two – it’s important to contact your vet immediately, even if your dog has no obvious symptoms. Quick treatment is your dog’s best chance at avoiding long-term damage and death.