Can dogs eat grapes?

Grapes are called as the Fruit of the Gods. This fruit comes in various varieties, colours, seeded as well as unseeded. Some even consider it as the forbidden fruit. This seems to be particularly true when it comes to our furry friends.

One of the first things your vet will advise you when you ask them about your pet’s diet is to not feed them grapes or their shrivelled-up cousins – the raisins. In fact, grapes and raisins are highly toxic for canine consumption.

Grape toxicity affects dogs of all breeds, sex and age. Ingesting the fruit can lead to kidney failure in dogs.

The signs of grape poisoning you need to lookout for are:

• Poor appetite
• Lethargy or weakness
• Vomiting or diarrhea after a few hours
• Dehydration
• Increased thirst or changes in their urinal output
• Kidney failure

If your pet has consumed grapes or raisins then treatment at the right time is very important. Take them to the vet immediately for prompt medical intervention. Since prevention is better than cure you must try to keep grapes or raisins out of their reach.