raisin toxicity - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Nikki+2 · 02-29-2008, 05:32 AM

I know most of us know raisins are a big no no for our babies but this is a good reminder. It doesn't take many to do a lot of damage.

If you have a dog, PLEASE read this and send it on. If you don't have a dog, please pass along to friends who do.
Written by:
Laurinda Morris , DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic
Danville , Ohio

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 that ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM.
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 IV 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 IV 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 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 or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dog's grapes or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.
Onions, chocolate, cocoa and macadamia nuts can be fatal, too. (We heard garlic too. RMN)

Even if you don't have a dog, you might have friends who do. This is worth passing on to them.
Confirmation from Snopes about the above...
http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/raisins.asp
Please check this out, Snopes tells you everything about the grapes and raisins.

jfalz73 · 02-29-2008, 05:38 AM

This is a good post to remind people of the dangers of this. Alot of people have no idea about this....i must say that until I got Oliver and did so much reading on Yorkies i had no idea, and i have had many other breeds of dogs. I was at my grandsons soccer game with Oliver a few months back and there was a little boy eating raisins and he was dropping them all over....i was a wreck and would not put Oliver on the ground! People around me probably thought i was nuts!

romeos mommy · 02-29-2008, 07:35 AM

thanks for the helpful and informative reminder.

02-29-2008, 05:32 AM	#1
Nikki+2 I heart Sugar Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 7,373	raisin toxicity I know most of us know raisins are a big no no for our babies but this is a good reminder. It doesn't take many to do a lot of damage. If you have a dog, PLEASE read this and send it on. If you don't have a dog, please pass along to friends who do. Written by: Laurinda Morris , DVM Danville Veterinary Clinic Danville , Ohio 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 that ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM. 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 IV 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 IV 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 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 or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dog's grapes or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern. Onions, chocolate, cocoa and macadamia nuts can be fatal, too. (We heard garlic too. RMN) Even if you don't have a dog, you might have friends who do. This is worth passing on to them. Confirmation from Snopes about the above... http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/raisins.asp Please check this out, Snopes tells you everything about the grapes and raisins. __________________ "If you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men." — St. Francis of Assisi, 1181-1226

02-29-2008, 07:35 AM	#3
romeos mommy YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Pennsauken , NJ Posts: 4,068	thanks for the helpful and informative reminder. __________________ Bernadette & Romeo

02-29-2008, 05:38 AM	#2
jfalz73 Owned by my yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Coats, NC Posts: 5,001	This is a good post to remind people of the dangers of this. Alot of people have no idea about this....i must say that until I got Oliver and did so much reading on Yorkies i had no idea, and i have had many other breeds of dogs. I was at my grandsons soccer game with Oliver a few months back and there was a little boy eating raisins and he was dropping them all over....i was a wreck and would not put Oliver on the ground! People around me probably thought i was nuts!