Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

susan, 

i received this a couple months ago from a dog friend.  considering
my dogs stripped my grape vines a couple years ago and suffered no ill
effects i really dunno, unless as you suggested it might be the sulfites
in actual commercially dried raisens,  but thought i'd pass it on for
what its worth.

karen

Sent: Sunday, April 25, 2004 9:45 AM
Subject: Raisin toxicity

Something good to know.

> Permission granted to cross post.

>

> Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2004 7:00 PM

> Subject: Warning for all dog owners

>

>

> > 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

> > who ate half a cannister 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 I V 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 I V catheter

and

> > started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values at 5 PM and the

BUN was

> > over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a

liter of

> > fluids. At the 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 have 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 euthanise.

> >

> > 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

could be

> > toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as

treats.

> > Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern. Feel free

to

> > contact me if you have any questions.

> >

> > Laurinda Morris, DVM

> > Danville Veterinary Clinic

> > Danville, Ohio