Are grapes and raisins toxic to dogs?
Yes, and it is an emergency. Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants can cause sudden kidney failure in dogs, and there is no known safe amount: some dogs are harmed by a handful while others eat far more without effect, and no one can predict which. Treatment works best before any signs appear, so go to a vet now, even if your dog seems completely well.
General information, not veterinary advice. If your pet may have eaten this, contact a vet now; do not wait for signs.
What to do right now
- Go to a vet or emergency clinic now; do not wait for signs
- Bring the packet or what is left, and estimate how many were eaten and when
- Tell the vet your dog's weight and any existing kidney problems
- Do not make your dog sick unless a vet on the phone tells you to
Go to an emergency clinic now if
- Your dog ate any grapes, raisins, sultanas or currants
- Your dog ate fruit cake, hot cross buns, trail mix or cereal containing them
- Your dog is vomiting, has diarrhoea or refuses food after eating them
- Your dog is drinking much more or much less, or has stopped passing urine
- Your dog is very lethargic, weak or has breath that smells of ammonia
Who to call
Your own vet first. If they are closed, the nearest emergency or out-of-hours clinic.
In the United States
Both answer 24 hours a day and may charge a consultation fee.
Signs to watch for
| Sign | Usually starts |
|---|---|
| Vomiting, often with pieces of fruit | 6-24 hours |
| Diarrhoea, loss of appetite | 6-24 hours |
| Lethargy, weakness, belly pain | 12-48 hours |
| Increased thirst and urination | 24-72 hours |
| Little or no urine (kidney failure) | 24-72 hours |
| Ammonia-smelling breath, tremors | 2-3 days |
Why are grapes and raisins toxic to dogs?
The leading explanation is tartaric acid. Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center and the Merck Veterinary Manual both name tartaric acid, and its salt potassium bitartrate, as the most likely cause. Dogs are poor at excreting this kind of organic acid, so it builds up in the cells lining the kidney tubules and injures them.
The amount of tartaric acid varies between fruits, which may explain why one dog is unharmed after a large amount while another is badly affected by a few. The same acid is concentrated in tamarinds and cream of tartar, which Merck and Cornell flag as similar risks. Seedless, seeded, red, green, organic and home-grown grapes have all caused poisoning.
How many grapes or raisins are dangerous for a dog?
No one knows a safe number, and the sources say so plainly. VCA Animal Hospitals states there is no well-established toxic dose. Cornell says the harmful amount cannot be predicted. The Merck Veterinary Manual gives a working guide: more than one grape or raisin per 4.5 kg (10 lb) of body weight may contain enough tartaric acid to injure the kidneys.
Because these sources agree that any amount could matter, Pativo treats every ingestion as an emergency. Dried fruit is more concentrated by weight than fresh, and hidden sources are common:
- fruit cake, Christmas pudding, mince pies and hot cross buns
- trail mix, granola bars, muesli and cereal
- cookies, scones and chocolate assortments
- grape pressings from wineries
What will the vet do?
The goal is to stop the kidneys being injured in the first place. If the fruit was eaten recently, the vet will usually make your dog vomit, which Cornell notes can still help hours after eating. Activated charcoal may be given, although Merck says its benefit here is unknown.
For a significant amount, or if signs have started, the vet will admit your dog for intravenous fluids. Merck recommends fluids for at least 48 hours, with kidney blood tests, urine output and fluid balance monitored throughout. Kidney values can look normal at first, so repeat tests over two to three days are common. There is no antidote and no lab test that confirms grape poisoning.
Dogs treated before kidney damage develops generally do very well. Once a dog stops producing urine, the outlook is poor: most dogs die or are put to sleep unless dialysis is available, and survivors may be left with chronic kidney disease. That difference is why waiting for signs is the wrong approach.
How do I stop it happening again?
- Keep grapes and dried fruit off low tables and out of children's lunchboxes left within reach.
- Check baked goods and cereal ingredients before sharing any food with your dog.
- Brief visitors and sitters; Pativo's family sharing lets everyone looking after the dog see its notes.
- Watch compost bins and garden vines, where dogs can find fallen fruit.
Pativo's poison check flags grapes and raisins as "go now" on the phone, without a connection. Raisin baking often includes chocolate or macadamia nuts; see those guides too, and emergency signs for anything that needs a clinic immediately.
Questions owners ask
My dog ate one grape. Is that really an emergency?
Yes, call or go now. Sensitivity varies so much between dogs that no amount is known to be safe, and the Merck Veterinary Manual treats more than one grape or raisin per 4.5 kg of body weight as a kidney risk. Early treatment is far more effective than waiting.
Are grape juice and wine also dangerous?
VCA reports that grape juice, wine, grape seed extract and jellies made from juice concentrate have not been linked to kidney injury. Wine is still dangerous because of the alcohol, so see the alcohol guide.
Are cats affected by grapes too?
There are only anecdotal reports of kidney injury in cats and ferrets, and the true risk is unknown. VCA advises keeping these fruits away from them as a precaution.
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Grape, Raisin, and Tamarind Toxicosis in Dogs
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Grape, Raisin, and Currant Poisoning in Dogs
- Cornell Riney Canine Health Center: Grape and Raisin Toxicity
Checked against the sources listed on this page. How we write and check these pages