If you have D-pets

A friend sent me this. I checked it with Snopes, and it's true. I never
knew this.

--
Joy

"If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an
empty desk? -- Jay Brand, cognitive psychologist


Subject: If You Have A Dog - Please Read & pass It On


This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxicity ever seen at
MedVet. My patient was a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix that ate
half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday.

He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday but
the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM.

I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute Renal failure
but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject.

We had her bring the dog in immediately. In the meantime, I called the ER
service at MedVet, and the doctor there was like me - had heard something
about it, but....

Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center and
they said to give IV fluids at 1 times maintenance and watch the kidney
values for the next 48-72 hours.

The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32 (normal less
than 27) and creatinine over 5 (1.9 is the high end of normal).

Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We placed an IV
catheter and started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values at 5 PM and the
BUN was over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a liter
of fluids.

At the point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to
MedVet for a urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well as
overnight care. He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal
values have continued to increase daily. He produced urine when given lasix
as a diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications

and they still couldn't control his vomiting. Today his urine output
decreased again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was at 10, his
phosphorus was very elevated and his blood pressure, which had been staying
around 150, skyrocketed to 220.. He continued to vomit and the owners
elected to euthanize.


This is a very sad case - great dog, great owners who had no idea raisins
could be a toxin. Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very
serious risk. Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be
toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats
including our ex! - handler's. Any exposure should give rise to immediate
concern.

Laurinda Morris, DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic
Danville , Ohio

Even if you don't have a dog, you might have friends who do. This is worth
passing on to them