You may already
know this, but I
am sending it as
a general
precaution; we
all love our
dogs...................
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 , OH
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 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
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
creatine over 7
with no urine
production after
a liter of
fluids. At that
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
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 dogs
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.
Even if you
don't have a
dog, you might
have friends who
do. This is
worth passing on
to them.
