While dogs seem to enjoy a pretty diverse diet, there are some things that they can ingest and be poisoned. On the list of these toxic foods is grapes, which are known to make dogs very sick when they are swallowed and have even been known to be fatal.
The tartaric acid found in grapes causes significant pain in dogs and attacks the kidneys, forcing a failure if too many of the grapes have been eaten. This raises the question of grapevines and their leaves, whether your dog should consume them.
Are grapevines poisonous to dogs?
While it is not very common for a dog to choose to consume a grapevine, it is not recommended and considered toxic, just like the grape. Small grapes that are just developing could still be on the vine and have enough tartaric acid left to cause your dog to become sick.
If you have cut your grapevine lately, you want to pick up any vines and dispose of them properly so that your dogs do not get into them and accidentally consume a grape. Depending on your dog’s size or breed, they may be more sensitive to this toxin, or they may not react too harshly. It is not worth taking the chance, however.
When a dog eats grapes, the symptoms that develop include vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. They can also become lethargic depending on how many grapes they have eaten. While they may have eaten one or two in the past, it is a real problem for them to get into a bag of grapes and eat them by the pound. When the dogs are eating the grapes, they taste just as delightful to them as they do to us.
Are grapevine leaves poisonous to dogs?
Many recipes and canning procedures call for the use of grapevine leaves because they provide a level of crispiness. If you happen to use grapevine leaves regularly for your cooking or canning purposes, you want to make sure these leaves are put up and stored away from where your pets can reach them.
Some dogs have a habit of chewing on any grass or leaves they find lying around, and grapevine leaves are no exception. Because the grapes grow off of the same vine as these leaves, they can still have trace amounts of tartaric acid. Error on the side of caution, and do not allow your dog to chew or swallow these leaves, possibly ingesting this acid and causing their body to go through pain.
Are grapes poisonous to dogs?
Grapes are absolutely poisonous to dogs and should be kept away at all times. There is not a safe grape, either. All grapes in every color, size and type produce acid that is toxic to their bodies and should never be given to your dog in any amount.
This is also true for raisins since the grape is just dehydrated but still has the same properties. If you like to give your dog table food treats, keep this in mind before handing over an oatmeal raisin cookie or a serving of chicken salad made with grapes.
Shortly after dogs eat grapes, the attack on their body will begin. Since the grapes are poisonous, their bodies will react as if they are being poisoned and start rejecting everything. They may start vomiting first and then move to excessive diarrhea and have trouble breathing.
Dogs who have eaten half a pound or more of grapes will start to become lethargic, tremors, and could go into fluid cessation where they do not release fluid or take any in. If your dog has had a loss of appetite due to the grapes and the reaction they had, you can expect them to be dehydrated and need to get fluids in their body right away.
What to do if my dog eats a grapevine?
If you believe that your dog has recently swallowed a grapevine, you need to get them on the way to an emergency veterinarian so that they can treat them. In the meantime, try getting your dog to throw up the grapevine. This is harder to do if it has been a little while since they ate it.
The faster you can get it out of their system. If you were not able to remove the grapevine, let the vet know so that they know what steps to take for your dog and how to treat them and save their lives.
How do I keep my dog from eating grapevines?
If you have grapevines on your property or pass by them on walks with your dog, you need to keep an eye on them, ensuring they are not trying to eat them. If the grapevines are on your property, and you want to keep them, you may need to put a fence around them so that they are unable to be reached by dogs. This is also a good way to keep the wildlife out, so it is a win for everyone.
If you are not particularly partial to the grapevines on your property, you could always have them removed so that you do not have to worry about your furry friend getting into the leaves and getting sick.
If you are encountering these grapevines while out on your daily walk, you may want to find a safer route that keeps your dog from stopping and attempt to swallow poison on a regular basis. If that is an option, that is your best choice.
Unfortunately, all pet owners do not have other route options, so you need to prepare yourself when walking your dog. Make sure that you know where all of the grapevines are along the route, and avoid stopping there for a bathroom break or water break.
Right before approaching, you may want to switch sides of the sidewalk with your dog so that they would have to come around you to get near the grapevines. This way, you can manage your dog easier and get right around the grapevines, causing minimal distraction and avoiding a poisonous catastrophe.