There are lots of holiday foods that could be a problem for your pet if someone leaves a plate of party snacks where your dog could get into it…fatty foods such as cheese cubes and nuts come to mind, and often they are served with grapes or dried fruits. We came across this excellent post today on the Ann Arbor Dog Blog and thought it would be worth reposting here on our site.

Blogger LabLover writes:

“Grapes toxic effects on canines is a recent discovery. Before pet owner were warned about the harmful effects of grapes to canines, this fruit as well as raisins were used as treats when training dogs. Scientists and pet owners are puzzled as the toxicity of grapes do not affect all dogs. Dogs that eat bunches of grapes will go scot free while some dogs that ingest a few will start to vomit and show other signs of toxicity. The toxic effect of grapes, unlike that of chocolates is not dose dependent.

Once the toxic effects of grapes affect the dog, a change in behavior will be noticed at once. The dog will be hyperactive and then it will be depressed and become lethargic. Vomiting and diarrhea are other signs. A dog affected by the toxins found in grapes would need immediate medical treatment. If treatment is not given or delayed, the dog will have renal failure as the kidneys can no longer filter the toxins and this condition can lead to the death of the dog.”

(more here).

Keep your pets safe this holiday season by taking care not to leave people-food around where your dog can get into it. Let the kids know too. We’ll be posting more on this topic throughout the month.