Killer Grapes, and Other Concerns in Animal Poison Control

Strange as it may sound, the seemingly innocuous grape has proven very deadly for a number of dogs and cats throughout the last decade. This is one of the many problems tracked and researched by the Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) located in Urbana, IL. According to Dr. Jill Richardson, a veterinarian at the Center, the APCC started noticing a trend with grape toxicity six years ago, when two Jack Russell terriers developed kidney failure after eating a large number of grapes. Research through the APCC database has found that over the past 10 years there have been sporadic cases of toxicity associated with both grapes and raisins. A trend has been difficult to establish because toxicity seems to occur with grapes grown commercially or in backyard gardens. To add to the confusion, many dogs and cats that eat grapes show no signs whatsoever. In an attempt to discover the source of the toxicity, the APCC team had the grapes analyzed for many sources of toxicity, including heavy metals, vitamin D derivatives, herbicides, and insecticides. "Every test came back negative," says Dr. Richardson. "Luckily there has never been a case that has resulted from ingestion of just one grape or raisin. The best advise veterinarians can give to their clients is to prevent pets from eating grapes or raisins."