Grape and Raisin Poisoning in Dogs: Signs and What to Do

If your dog has eaten grapes, raisins, sultanas or currants, or food containing them such as fruit cake or a mince pie, contact a vet now, even if your dog seems well. If your practice is closed, ring its out-of-hours number or an emergency veterinary service.

Grapes and their dried fruits can cause sudden kidney injury in dogs, and no safe amount is known. Animal PoisonLine reports poisoning after only a few grapes in a small dog, and PDSA warns that a dog which has eaten them before without problems can still be badly affected next time.

Why grapes and raisins are risky

Fresh grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants can all poison dogs. Sultanas are dried white grapes, and raisins and currants are dried dark grapes. The word currant can be confusing: the small dried currants used in baking are made from grapes, while redcurrants and blackcurrants are different fruits. If you are not sure what was in the food, keep the packet or take a photo of the ingredient list for the vet.

Nobody yet knows for certain why grapes harm dogs. One leading hypothesis is that tartaric acid, which grapes contain naturally, is responsible, but this has not been proven. The Veterinary Poisons Information Service says there is no link between the amount eaten and the chance of a dog developing complications. Not every dog that eats grapes becomes ill, but there is no way to predict which dogs will.

So the risk can’t be judged from the number of grapes, your dog’s size or how well they seem. A known or possible ingestion needs veterinary advice.

Foods that may contain dried fruit

The risk is not limited to a bowl of grapes. Raisins, sultanas and dried currants turn up in everyday snacks and baking, and can be easy to miss when food is dropped or left in a bag.

Hot cross buns, mince pies, fruit cake, Christmas cake and Christmas pudding commonly contain dried fruit. Chocolate-covered raisins need particular care because the chocolate may be harmful too. Dried fruit can also be in snack mixes, cereal bars, granola and baking ingredients, so check a packet if your dog has taken food you do not recognise.

Tell the vet about the whole product, not just the fruit. A cake, biscuit or sweet may contain other ingredients that matter when they assess your dog. Keep any remaining food and the packaging, but do not delay leaving if you have been told to attend an emergency appointment.

What to do straight away

Call your usual veterinary practice as soon as you know, or even suspect, that your dog has eaten grapes or dried grape products. Early advice gives the veterinary team the best chance to limit harm. If your practice is shut, use its out-of-hours number or contact an emergency vet.

Animal PoisonLine (01202 509 000) is a 24-hour advice line for pet owners run by the Veterinary Poisons Information Service. It charges for each call, and it advises calling about grapes and dried fruit even if your dog shows no signs. It can tell you whether your dog needs to be seen, but if you can reach a vet straight away, do that.

Have a few details ready when you call. Your vet will want to know your dog’s weight, what they ate, roughly how much might be missing and when it happened. Mention any signs you have noticed, as well as any health problems or medicines your dog has. The packet, ingredient list, remaining food or a photo can be useful.

Do not try to make your dog sick at home, and never give salt water. A vet may decide that vomiting is suitable after a recent ingestion, but it is not right for every dog and needs veterinary supervision. Do not give activated charcoal or a home treatment unless your vet has told you to do so.

Keep your dog with you while you arrange help, and clear away food that is still within reach. This stops them, or another pet, eating more while you are on the phone.

Signs of grape and raisin poisoning in dogs

Vomiting is the most common early sign and usually starts within 24 hours of eating the fruit. Diarrhoea, poor appetite, tummy pain, dehydration and tiredness can happen too. Some dogs have no early signs, which is why a dog that appears normal still needs prompt advice.

Over the next one to three days, kidney injury may become clearer. A dog may drink or wee more than usual at first, then become weak or unsteady. Severe cases can lead to tremors, seizures and little or no urine being passed.

Contact an emergency vet straight away if your dog has eaten grapes or dried fruit and is very unwell, has repeated vomiting, marked weakness, shaking, a seizure or is not weeing. These signs can have more than one cause, but after a possible ingestion they need urgent assessment.

Do not wait for these signs to appear before calling. Kidney problems may take time to show, and treatment is more useful when started before serious damage develops.

How a vet may help

Your vet will ask about the food, the possible amount, the timing and how your dog is behaving. They may ask you to bring your dog in immediately. For a recent ingestion, they may give medicine to make your dog vomit and remove food that is still in the stomach. This must be done by a veterinary professional, as it is not suitable for every dog.

Blood and urine tests can help check kidney function and other changes linked with grape ingestion. Tests can be normal in the first few hours, so the vet may recommend repeat checks over the next two or three days. This can feel worrying when your dog seems brighter, but it helps the team spot kidney injury that is not yet obvious.

Some dogs need hospital care, with fluids given through a drip and close monitoring of kidney values, urine output, blood pressure and electrolytes. They may also need medicine for nausea or to protect the stomach. The treatment plan depends on what was eaten, when it happened and how your dog is when examined.

Dogs that are treated promptly and do not develop signs can do very well. Once kidney test results become raised, or a dog produces little or no urine, the outlook is more guarded. Follow the plan your veterinary team gives you, including return visits and repeat tests. Contact them again if your dog becomes unwell after coming home, refuses food, or their drinking or weeing changes.

Reducing the chance of another accident

Keep grapes, dried fruit and baking supplies in a cupboard your dog cannot open. Put shopping, lunchboxes and handbags away when you come home, since an unattended snack can disappear quickly. A secure food bin and compost bin also reduce the chance of your dog finding something unsafe.

Take extra care when there is food around at Christmas, Easter, birthdays and family gatherings. Fruit cake, mince pies, Christmas pudding, hot cross buns and chocolate-covered raisins are often left on low tables or in visitors’ bags. Ask guests not to share snacks with your dog, and check the floor after children have eaten.

If you grow grapes, prevent your dog reaching the fruit and clear up fallen grapes. Accidents can still happen, so if you think your dog has eaten grapes, raisins, sultanas or dried currants, call a vet rather than trying to judge the risk yourself.