Dog Ate Grapes or Raisins? What to Do Now (and What Happens Next)
If your dog has just eaten grapes, raisins, sultanas or currants, call your vet or a pet poison line now, even if your dog seems completely fine. Some dogs eat a handful and never get ill; others develop kidney injury after only a few. Nobody can predict which dog will react, and treatment works best before any signs appear. This guide explains what to do right away and what to expect.
Do this now
- Take any remaining fruit away and keep other pets clear.
- Work out roughly how many grapes or raisins were eaten, what kind (fresh grapes, raisins, a fruit cake, trail mix) and when. Note your dog's weight.
- Call your vet or an emergency clinic. In the US you can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661 (both may charge a fee).
- Do not make your dog vomit at home unless a vet tells you to. Salt, mustard or oils can make things worse, and a vet can give a medicine that empties the stomach safely.
- Bring the packaging if it was a cake, biscuit or snack bar, as it may also contain chocolate, xylitol or nuts.
Why grapes and raisins are dangerous
For years the toxic substance was a mystery. Veterinary toxicologists at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center now think the likely culprit is tartaric acid, which grapes contain in high and very variable amounts. Dogs are poor at clearing this type of acid from the body, so it can build up in the kidneys and injure them. That variation explains why one dog can eat a bunch with no effect while another gets sick from a few. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that more than about one grape or raisin per 4.5 kg (10 lb) of body weight may be enough to pose a risk, but because the dose is so unpredictable, vets treat any amount as worth a call.
The same concern applies to tamarind and to cream of tartar, the baking ingredient, which is concentrated tartaric acid. Raisins, sultanas and currants (dried Zante grapes) are all grapes. True blackcurrants and redcurrants are a different plant and have not been linked to kidney injury.
Signs to watch for
| Time since eating | What usually happens | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2 hours | Usually no signs yet | Call your vet or a poison line now. This is the best window for the vet to make your dog vomit. |
| 6-12 hours | Vomiting or diarrhoea may start, sometimes with pieces of grape or raisin | Go to the vet even if your dog seems fine otherwise |
| 12-24 hours | Lethargy, not eating, belly pain, drinking more | Urgent vet visit; blood tests and IV fluids are likely |
| 24-72 hours | Kidney injury may appear: less urine, or none | Emergency. Dogs that stop making urine need intensive care |
Early signs are easy to miss: a single vomit, being quieter than usual, or skipping a meal. Do not wait for them before you call.
What the vet will do
- Make your dog vomit if it was eaten recently, usually within the past couple of hours, with a medicine licensed for dogs.
- Sometimes give activated charcoal, although how much it helps here is uncertain.
- For larger amounts, or if your dog is already vomiting, give IV fluids, often for 48 hours, to protect the kidneys.
- Check kidney blood values at the start and again over the next two to three days.
Dogs treated early usually do well. Once the kidneys stop producing urine, the outlook is poor even with dialysis, which is why speed matters so much.
Where grapes and raisins hide in holiday food
- Christmas pudding, mince pies, fruit cake, stollen and panettone
- Hot cross buns, Welsh cakes, scones and malt loaf
- Trail mix, granola, cereal bars and muesli
- Stuffing, salads, chutneys and some sauces, including glazes on holiday ham
- Grape juice, wine and leftover grape skins
- Bowls of grapes left on coffee tables at parties
Our list of Christmas foods that are toxic to dogs covers the other festive hazards, and if your dog raided the chocolate too, see dog ate chocolate: what to do.
What about cats?
Published cases involve dogs, but there are unconfirmed reports of kidney problems in cats and ferrets. Cats rarely eat grapes, but if yours does, call your vet for advice.
Quick FAQ
How many grapes are toxic to a dog? There is no reliably safe number. Some dogs react to a few, so treat any amount as a reason to call your vet.
My dog ate one grape and seems fine. Do I still need to call? Yes. Signs can take hours or days to appear, and the vet may only need to give advice or make your dog vomit, which is quick and far easier than treating kidney injury later.
Are cooked raisins in cake still dangerous? Yes. Cooking does not make them safe, and baked goods may also contain chocolate, nuts or xylitol.
Is grape jelly or juice a problem? Treat any grape product as risky and call your vet with the amount.
Sources: Merck Veterinary Manual: grape, raisin and tamarind toxicosis in dogs; ASPCApro: toxic component in grapes and raisins identified; ASPCA: people foods to avoid.