Grapes are one of many people's favourite fruits. Therefore, many dog owners wonder whether dogs can eat grapes or whether the tasty fruit can harm their four-legged friends' health.
Unfortunately, the latter is the case. Because grapes are poisonous for dogs, eating them can even be fatal above a certain amount. Whether this applies to all four-legged friends and what symptoms you can recognise in dogs when grapes poison them is explained below.
So far, it is not entirely clear why grapes are toxic to dogs. Moreover, not all animals seem to be equally at risk. For some four-legged friends, as little as 10 grams of grapes per kilogram of body weight are enough to cause severe poisoning symptoms.
And yet, even double or triple the amount of grapes causes no problems in other dogs, while some animals even seem to tolerate grapes in almost any quantity.
It makes no difference which types of grape they eat, grape poisoning in dogs can be triggered by any grapes, regardless of their degree of ripeness. Therefore, do not let your four-legged friend eat red or white grapes. This also applies to varieties that do not contain seeds.
Sultanas are dried grapes. They, therefore, contain the same ingredients as fresh grapes. Sultanas are therefore also poisonous for dogs and should never end up in their stomachs.
Due to the lower moisture content of sultanas compared to grapes, even much smaller amounts are sufficient to cause poisoning symptoms. The toxic amount for dogs is just 2.8 grams per kilo of body weight for sultanas, even less in some cases.
In this context, please also note that sultanas can be in various foods, such as muesli or cakes. Therefore, make sure that such foods are always out of the reach of your four-legged roommate.
If your dog has eaten grapes, be sure to keep a close eye on him and watch for possible poisoning symptoms so that you can react quickly in an emergency.
In the worst case, grape poisoning can lead to fatal kidney failure in your dog. If your dog has eaten grapes or sultanas and you subsequently observe the symptoms mentioned, you must contact a veterinarian immediately. This is because poisoning, regardless of its trigger, is without exception a medical emergency that you should not treat on your own under any circumstances.
Within the first two hours after eating the grapes, it may still help if the vet makes the dog vomit. He can also give the dog activated charcoal to bind the toxins.
On the other hand, suppose changes in the blood count have already occurred. In that case, infusions and hospitalisation of the dog are necessary to prevent kidney failure and hopefully save the animal's life.
As you can see, eating grapes and sultanas is associated with considerable risks for your dog. Although not all four-legged friends react equally sensitively, we therefore strongly advise against letting your dog eat fresh grapes or sultanas. After all, in the worst case, the attempt can lead to fatal kidney failure.
If your dog likes to eat fruit from time to time, give him harmless alternatives instead, such as a piece of apple or some watermelon. This way, you play safe and know that you are not harming your dog with unsuitable food like grapes.
Apart from this, fruit is not suitable for supplying your four-legged friend with the nutrients it needs. Instead, you need good dog food for a balanced diet. In our shop, you will find a selection of high-quality wet and dry food. In addition, we offer a range of tasty dog treats with which you can give your dog a healthy treat in between meals without potentially harmful foods such as grapes.
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