STORY ABOUT JAKE’S CLOSE CALL WITH RAISINS

    It was Christmas Eve, late afternoon, and Jake was out for an afternoon run.  He went into the neighbor’s yard and found some “bread crumbs” they had put out for the birds to eat.  When I went to stop him from eating the stale bread I realized that instead of bread he was eating some carrot cake which was full of raisins.  I couldn’t tell how much he ate but estimated from watching him that he had swallowed about ½ of a cake.  I had read an article in Your Dog a few years ago about things dogs should never eat and remembered that raisins were one of the most toxic of all of them.  I had been very careful about this and wouldn’t even let Jake drink the left over milk from a bowl of Raisin Bran until I had strained out the raisins.  I immediately called Jake’s friendly family veterinarian, Dr. Mitsie Vargas, (Christmas Eve, 4 PM!!) for advice and possible help.  I estimated that he had probably eaten 35 or 40 raisins.  Dr. Vargas confirmed that raisins were extremely toxic to dogs and this amount of raisins would be dangerous even for Jake, a 100 pound Yellow Lab.   Her advice was that I should make Jake throw up and if I couldn’t do so she would meet me at her animal hospital.  Next question: How do you make a dog throw up?  Dr. Vargas advised to have him drink 4 - 6 ounces of hydrogen peroxide.  The peroxide is an alkali and will react with stomach acid to make him vomit.  This is easier said then done.  First I tried mixing the peroxide with sugar but he wouldn’t touch it.  Next after holding his mouth open and fighting with him for about 3 minutes I finally got 6 or so ounces in him and the other 20 ounces all over the floor and me.  Within 5 minutes he began throwing up, about 15 minutes after eating the cake.  Over the next 10 - 15 minutes he threw up 13 times.  The first puddle was full of Raisins and cake.  The second had some and after the third there were no more Raisins.  I’m pretty sure he emptied his stomach.  He was pretty strung out and lethargic for several hours but later in the evening finally began drinking some water and eating.

    This was probably a close call.  If you don’t have any peroxide in your home your should if you have a dog.  Probably a good idea to get rid of the Raisin Bran too.  I’m back to plain corn flakes.  Can’t think of any reason to have raisins in the house any more.

    I also learned from ASPCA (National Animal Poison Control Center) that as few as 7 Raisins or grapes can be very toxic.  Any exposure should cause immediate concern.  

    The ASPCA provided a history a 5 year old Lab that had eaten ½ box of Raisins while the owners were at work and it is as follows: If your dog does develop Raisin toxicity expect it to develop shaking, vomiting and diarrhea within about 12 hours.  Thereafter the dog’s BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) and creatine will increase beyond the limits of high-normal.  These chemicals are measures of kidney function which can be tested from the blood stream.  The dog will continue vomiting, produce very little urine and blood pressure will eventually skyrocket.  He is now in the final throes of acute renal failure.  This is tough way to die because at this point there will be no alternative but to euthanize.