Also see Raisins (plant).
Yes, and seriously. Raisins, sultanas and currants can cause sudden kidney failure in dogs, and there's no known safe amount. Call your vet straight away if your dog eats any, even a few.
Raisins carry the same risk as grapes, and because they're dried, the toxin is more concentrated. The likely culprit is tartaric acid, though it isn't fully proven. Some dogs eat a few with no problem while others suffer kidney failure after a small handful, and there's no way to tell in advance which kind of dog yours is. At Christmas, look out for them in mince pies, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake, stollen and panettone, as well as raisin bread, hot cross buns, flapjacks, granola and trail mix. Cats rarely eat them, but treat them the same way.
Vomiting is usually the first sign, often within a few hours, and you may see raisins in it. Diarrhoea, lethargy, loss of appetite and a sore belly may follow. Signs of kidney damage usually appear 12 to 72 hours later: drinking and urinating more, then little or no urine, bad breath and weakness. The kidneys can be damaged before any of this shows.
Call your vet or a pet poison helpline straight away, even if your dog seems fine. Don't make your dog sick at home unless a vet tells you to. Early treatment usually means inducing vomiting and giving activated charcoal, then IV fluids and blood tests to check the kidneys over two to three days. There's no antidote, so the sooner treatment starts, the better the outlook. Tell the vet roughly how many raisins, or how much of the cake or pudding, your dog ate.
Data sourced from public ASPCA lists. For general guidance only. If you suspect your pet has ingested something harmful, contact your vet or an animal poison control center immediately. · Privacy Policy