Can dogs eat grapes?
Toxic. No, and there is no amount established as safe. Grapes, raisins and tamarinds can cause acute kidney injury in dogs.
There is no safe amount. Call a vet now.
No dose of grapes and raisins has been established as safe for dogs. Do not wait to see whether symptoms appear.
Estimate the dose for your vet →If it has already been eaten
Your own vet, or the nearest 24-hour emergency animal hospital.
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661
Have ready: your dog's weight, the exact product and how much was eaten, and the time it happened.
How much is dangerous?
There is no established safe dose. Merck states that more than one grape or raisin per 4.5 kg (10 lb) of body weight may contain enough tartaric acid to risk kidney injury, but individual dogs have developed renal failure after far less, and others have eaten large amounts with no effect. Treat any ingestion as needing veterinary advice.
Why it does harm
Tartaric acid and potassium bitartrate are the proposed toxic principle. Wegenast et al. reported acute kidney injury in dogs after ingesting cream of tartar and tamarinds, which share that compound with grapes. Merck notes that tartaric acid content varies between fruit, which is why the effects are so inconsistent.
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual. Grape, Raisin, and Tamarind (Vitis spp, Tamarindus spp) Toxicosis in Dogs.
- Wegenast CS, Meadows ID, Anderson RE, Southard T, González Barrientos CR, Wismer TA. Acute kidney injury in dogs following ingestion of cream of tartar and tamarinds and the connection to tartaric acid as the proposed toxic principle in grapes and raisins. J Vet Emerg Crit Care. 2022;32(6):812–816.
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. People foods to avoid feeding your pets.
What to look for
- Vomiting or diarrhea, often within 6 to 12 hours
- Lethargy and loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain and weakness
- Increased thirst
- Reduced or absent urination as kidney injury develops
Timing. Vomiting or diarrhea in 6 to 12 hours; kidney failure can follow within 24 to 48 hours.
What to do
- Call a vet or a poison control line now. Do not wait to see whether your dog seems unwell.
- Take the packaging, or note the type and rough amount of fruit.
- Early decontamination and intravenous fluids are what change the outcome, and both are time-critical.
Common questions
Can one grape hurt a dog?
It can. Merck gives more than one grape or raisin per 10 lb of body weight as a level that may risk kidney injury, but some dogs have developed kidney failure after less. Because the response is so unpredictable, any amount is a reason to call a vet.
How long after eating grapes will a dog show symptoms?
Vomiting or diarrhea often appears within 6 to 12 hours, and kidney failure can follow within 24 to 48 hours. Treatment works best before the kidneys are affected, which is why waiting for signs is the wrong approach.
Are raisins and currants the same risk as grapes?
Treat them the same way. Raisins, sultanas and currants are dried grapes, and tamarinds share the tartaric acid that is the proposed cause. None has an established safe dose.