My Dog Ate Grapes, What Do I Do?

Grapes are a wonderful fruit for humans, but dogs should not eat grapes. If your dog does eat a grape, it’s important to know why it’s so dangerous and how to deal with the situation right away. Your pup may need a trip to the vet, and dog insurance could help you with the costs so you can focus on their care.

Why Are Grapes Toxic to Dogs?

The exact reason why grapes are toxic to dogs has previously been a mystery for veterinarians. Substances like a mycotoxin (a toxic substance made by fungus or mold) or a salicylate drug (similar to aspirin and naturally found in the fruit) served as possible candidates.¹

However, recent research suggests that the tartaric acid found within grapes is the likely culprit. Tartaric acid is a nephrotoxin — it attacks the kidneys and can cause kidney injury or failure. Without functioning kidneys, the body can’t process and remove the waste products that normally exit as urine. This causes symptoms ranging from abdominal pain, issues with urination, and lethargy.^1,2

Studies have shown that the percentage of tartaric acid in grapes can range from 0.35% – 2%, so it’s hard to know how toxic a particular grape will be for your dog. But even in small concentrations, it can make your dog very sick and could be fatal.²

If a dog ate raisins, are they at risk?

Unfortunately, raisins, currants, and other dried grape foods are also toxic for dogs. This applies to liquids like grape juice and wine as well as raisin bread, granola, and other foods that may contain raisins or grapes.^1,3

While grapes aren’t safe for dogs, there are plenty of foods dogs can eat, including fruits that are safe for dogs like apples, bananas, and pears. Just avoid any seeds, cores, leaves, or stems.

What To Do if Your Dog Ate a Grape

It’s highly recommended that you call your vet, a pet poison helpline, or an animal poison control service right away. The biggest risk for dogs who eat grapes is kidney failure that could become fatal, so the goal of most treatment options is to prevent the toxins from reaching your dog’s kidneys.¹

Your vet can provide you with the best course of action. In most cases, they may recommend bringing your dog to your vet or the emergency animal hospital as soon as possible.^1,3

Vet Treatment if Your Dog Ate Grapes

Depending on the severity of your dog’s grape poisoning, your vet might need to take the following steps to prevent kidney failure.

Induce vomiting

Your vet may induce vomiting by using dog-safe medications to empty the stomach of ingested grapes or raisins. It’s not recommended to try inducing vomiting at home.^1,3

Use activated charcoal

After inducing vomiting, your vet may also administer medical-grade activated charcoal to help prevent the absorption of the toxin in the stomach or intestines.^1,3

Fluid therapy

Fluids are typically given to your dog to help flush any remaining toxins through the kidneys as quickly as possible to minimize kidney damage. Fluids can also help alleviate dehydration and support healthy kidney function during recovery.^1,3

Supportive care and monitoring

Dogs may need to stay in the animal hospital to receive fluid therapy for 2 or more days. During that time, their care team typically monitors vital signs and blood work for kidney damage or secondary issues. Any other problems that develop will also be treated to help ensure your pup recovers.^1,3

Can Dogs Recover After Eating Grapes?

Whether your dog recovers is based on a number of factors, including your dog’s size and age, how many grapes they ate relative to their size, and how quickly your vet was able to provide treatment.¹

If your dog receives the right care quickly — before symptoms develop — their chances of making a full recovery are generally good. However, if too much of the toxin damages their kidneys, it may not be possible for them to recover their previous quality of life, and in some cases it may be fatal.^1,3

Jimmy’s recovery story

A young Chihuahua from Massachusetts named Jimmy was enjoying a backyard cookout with his family. He got into some of the food and ate a couple of grapes. His family brought him right to the vet, where the exam and initial treatment cost over $750. Because his family acted so quickly, he made a full recovery after getting necessary vet care, and they were reimbursed nearly $700 through their MetLife Pet dog insurance policy.⁴

MetLife Pet Can Help You With Vet Bills

If your dog ate grapes, there could be a heavy cost to get the proper veterinary care they need to recover. That’s why it may be worthwhile to get a dog insurance policy to help you cover eligible expenses — like hospitalization, treatment, diagnostics, and medications.

As part of your insurance benefits, policyholders can also use the MetLife Pet app to contact a licensed vet for professional advice at any time.⁵ Get a free quote today and have coverage for accidents tomorrow.