Grape and Raisin Toxicity in Dogs

What makes grapes toxic

For decades nobody knew. In 2021 the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center linked the problem to tartaric acid, after several dogs developed the same kidney injury from homemade play dough made with cream of tartar. Grapes are unusually rich in tartaric acid, and the amount varies between grape types, ripeness and growing conditions. That would explain why the risk is so unpredictable. Research is ongoing, so vets still treat all grape and raisin exposures seriously.

Symptoms of grape toxicity in dogs

• Vomiting, often within a few hours, sometimes with pieces of grape or raisin
• Diarrhea, loss of appetite and lethargy within 24 hours
• Belly pain, weakness and dehydration
• Producing less urine, or none, over 1 to 3 days: a sign of serious kidney injury

What to do right away

Call your vet or a pet poison line straight away. Don't wait for symptoms. If your dog ate them within the last few hours, the vet will usually make it vomit, then may give activated charcoal and 48 hours of IV fluids. Blood tests over the next few days will show whether the kidneys were affected. Try the grape toxicity calculator to see the dose relative to your dog's size.

Where grapes hide

Raisin bread and bagels, hot cross buns, mince pies, fruit cake, granola, trail mix, oatmeal cookies, some salads and chutneys. Also grape juice and jelly, and baking ingredients containing cream of tartar.