If your dog has eaten something toxic, contact your veterinarian or an emergency animal hospital right away. Do not wait for symptoms. In the US you can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 (fees may apply).
Why
Grapes, raisins, currants and sultanas have all been linked to acute kidney injury in dogs. Some dogs become very ill after eating only a few, while others eat more with no obvious effect, so it is impossible to predict how your dog will react.
For years the toxic substance was unknown. Research published in 2022 points to tartaric acid, which grapes contain in varying amounts, as the likely cause. Dried fruit is especially risky because it is concentrated, and raisins are hidden in many foods such as bread, cereal bars and cakes.
Symptoms to watch for
- Vomiting, often within a few hours
- Diarrhea and loss of appetite
- Lethargy and weakness
- Abdominal pain
- Drinking and urinating less than usual, which can signal kidney damage
- Kidney failure can develop within 24 to 72 hours
What to do if your dog eats it
- Treat any amount as an emergency and contact your veterinarian immediately.
- Early treatment, often making the dog vomit and giving intravenous fluids, gives the best chance of protecting the kidneys.
- Keep fruit bowls, trail mix and baked goods with raisins out of reach.
Raisin bread, grape juice and cream of tartar: which ones count?
Treat anything made with whole grapes or dried vine fruit as dangerous. That includes raisin bread, bagels, hot cross buns, fruitcake, granola, trail mix, oatmeal cookies and chocolate-covered raisins. Seedless, organic, red, green and peeled grapes are all included.
Grape juice, jelly and wine are less clear. The tartaric acid research suggests they could carry some risk, and wine also contains alcohol. Nobody has shown a safe amount, so call your vet or poison control instead of guessing.
The same research that pointed to tartaric acid began with dogs that got sick after eating homemade play dough made with cream of tartar, and after eating tamarinds. Keep both away from your dog.
My dog ate grapes before and was fine. Why worry now?
A past meal of grapes without problems predicts nothing about the next one. Grapes vary in how much of the suspected toxin they contain, and dogs vary in how they react. A dog that shrugged off a few grapes last summer could have kidney failure after the next handful.
Size is not a reliable guide either. Large dogs have become seriously ill, and some small dogs have eaten more with no problem. That unpredictability is why vets treat every grape or raisin ingestion as an emergency.
Why do vets treat before the dog looks sick?
Kidney damage usually shows up in blood tests before it shows up in the dog. Once kidney values are clearly rising, treatment is harder and the outlook is worse.
A typical plan is to empty the stomach if the dog ate recently, give activated charcoal, and keep the dog on IV fluids for about two to three days. Bloodwork is repeated during that time to check the kidneys. Dogs that are treated early, before kidney values rise, usually do well. If your dog ate grapes and you can't get to a vet quickly, call poison control on the way.
Common questions
Are grapes or raisins good for dogs?
No. Grapes, raisins, currants and sultanas have all been linked to acute kidney injury in dogs.
Are grapes or raisins bad for dogs?
Yes. Signs of poisoning to watch for: vomiting, often within a few hours; diarrhea and loss of appetite; lethargy and weakness.
Are dogs allowed to have grapes or raisins?
No, keep them away from your dog. If your dog eats some anyway: treat any amount as an emergency and contact your veterinarian immediately.
Sources
Topic references
- Wegenast CA, Meadows ID, Anderson RE, et al. Acute kidney injury in dogs following ingestion of cream of tartar and tamarinds and the connection to tartaric acid as the proposed toxic principle in grapes and raisins. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, 2022;32(6):812–816.