Pet Talk: Raisins can be very unfriendly, veterinarian says

Raisins may seem like an innocent afternoon snack for people, but underneath their dried skin lies a potentially lethal toxin—one that can kill man’s best friend.

“Not all dogs are affected,” explains Mark Stickney, a veterinarian at Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

“Some dogs will respond negatively to raisin consumption, while others will not.”

According to Stickney, not much is known about the specific agents in raisins that cause their toxic effects. What is known is that many dogs are experiencing renal failure after the ingestion of raisins.

“The dog need not ingest many raisins to experience the bad effects, usually a half ounce to an ounce,” said Stickney.

What signs should a dog owner look for?

Stickney says a dog that has ingested raisins will have immediate reactions of vomiting and diarrhea. If the dog goes untreated, it will become more and more lethargic.

The pet will also drink more water than usual, and urinate less. These are all signs of renal failure, a condition that Stickney says can be lethal if not treated quickly.

If a dog is displaying any of these signs, pet owners should immediately take it to a local veterinarian.

“The sooner the animal is examined, the higher the likelihood that the animal will live,” he notes.

Pet owners should keep a close eye on their dog whenever raisins are present, especially when younger children are involved.

Young children have the tendency to share their food with their pets. In the case of raisins, this may prove to be deadly.

Stickney says only dogs seem to be affected by the toxic agent inside of raisins, and not all dogs experience the severe affects of renal failure after ingesting them.

There are other items that should be kept away from animals in order to prevent potential sickness.

Antifreeze has been known to cause renal failure in dogs and cats. Antifreeze has a sweet taste which dogs and cats fancy, but if either animal ingests it, the results can be tragic.

Another study has found that Easter lilies can cause renal failure in cats. And one candy that all animals need to be kept away from is chocolate. Dogs and cats cannot digest the caffeine and other stimulants found in chocolate. If an animal ingests chocolate, it can cause excitability, seizures and irregular heart beats that can be deadly.

The bottom line: many common household items and foods can be very unfriendly to man’s best friend.

Pet Talk is a service of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the World Wide Web at http://www.tamu.edu/tamunews/.