CAN DOGS EAT GRAPES?

We generally associate a fruit with nutrition, health, and nourishment. Fruits are awesome health-giving food items that are rich in various nutritional elements which are necessary for a person’s growth, development, and health. Fruits are also highly beneficial for our four-legged companions as well. They are good for a canine’s eyesight, bone development, digestive health, immune system et cetera. But not all fruits react in the same manner when fed to a canine. There are a few fruits that might not be highly advantageous for a pooch and instead, could prove to be extremely dangerous for them. In this article, we are going to talk about one of those fruits that you should never feed to your dog.

Grapes are a very popular fruit and are consumed by millions of people all around the world. They are exceptionally delicious, easy to consume, and they make a great healthy snack for someone who is health-conscious. But, their splendid taste and perfect size do not mean they are healthy and beneficial for our canines as well. In fact, many research evaluations and tests state that Grapes (and Raisins, as they are just dried-up grapes) are extremely toxic and harmful for the canines. Sadly, the research tests are yet to pinpoint the exact substance that makes this fruit so deleterious for the pooches. But, it is clear from those tests that feeding grapes to a canine can lead to acute kidney failure and other serious health problems. Hence, it is highly recommended to all the pet parents and to the people who are thinking about raising a pet dog, never to feed grapes or raisins to the canines so that they may never get affected by the several harmful effects of grape poisoning.

There are a number of Symptoms that may occur if a canine ingests some grapes:

• Vomiting – the first reaction by the body when a canine ingests some toxic substance is to throw it out of the system and Vomiting certainly helps in that regard. So, if a dog starts to vomit after eating a grape, then it is actually a good thing as most of the toxicity is going to be thrown out of his body.
• Diarrhea – loose stool is also very common if a canine had consumed something toxic.
• Loss of Energy – if you have an energetic and bubbly canine who likes to remain active and playful throughout the day, but suddenly is behaving in a different manner, say, lethargically, then something is definitely wrong and he might have ingested something toxic.
• Lack of Urination – this may be not an immediate effect of grape consumption on a canine, but it is quite common in case of grape poisoning. The frequency of urination is reduced in the canines due to ingestion of grapes.
• Loss of Appetite – if your dog is not excited for his favorite meal and treats, then something is not right with him. And, this is also a sign of toxic ingestion.

There are several other symptoms that have been reported for ingestion of grapes by a canine. These are as follows:

• Abdominal pain
• Dehydration
• Foul breath
• Oral ulcers
• Tremors
• Seizures
• Kidney failure
• Coma

Immediate Treatment –

if your pooch has accidentally ingested some grapes, then the first thing to do is to immediately call your veterinarian. If your vet suggests inducing vomiting in your canine, then you need to try to force your pooch to vomit. But, if your dog is having trouble breathing, showing signs of distress or he’s unconscious, then you should not try to induce vomiting in your canine. You should instantly take your pooch to the vet’s clinic or call the vet to your home itself.

FINAL VERDICT:

Whether it is a single piece or a bunch of grapes, it is very crucial for all the dog parents to remember that this fruit is not suitable for their pets. Grapes can cause some serious illnesses in our canines and feeding a large number of grapes to a pooch can even prove to be fatal for him. Thus, you should always keep Grapes and Raisins (for the same reasons) as far away from your dogs as possible.