PSA: Raisins are toxic to dogs

[smilingcat]

dogs can't process theobromine in the cocoa, starting ingredient of chocolate. See wiki for more information. Higher the cocoa content of chocolate higher the content of theobromine.

Sooo... Dark chocolate 82% pure cocoa would have more theobromine than a 60% dark chocolate in turn has more theobromine than a milk chocolate. Most white chocolate really isn't chocolate so doesn't count.

Regardless, its not good idea to feed your dogs chocolate, raisins, grape... And dogs being an omnivore like human have sweet tooth. Cats are strict carnivore and do not have the sweet receptor, no sweet tooth. Cats are less likely to indulge in chocolate.

you should not feed your cat any chocolate, raisin, or grape either.

[badger]

I hope Sammy will be okay, and good on you for having pet insurance!! And so sorry about AJ.

My dog got into a box of cheap milk chocolates once. The vet pretty much said that the amount of chocolate that's in there was so minimal that there wasn't much to worry, and she was right. He lived to a ripe old age of 14.

That said, my dog LOVED garbage. He would knock you over to get at a bun covered in green fuzz. Combined that with him having inflammatory bowel disease, it was to say the least, explosive.

He ate some unidentified fungus that I had picked off the ledge in my sunroom once. Knowning how deadly some mushrooms could be, the peroxide went in out came the mushrooms.

Towards the end, after years of cleaning up after his indiscretionary consumption of things off the ground, I learned to have a bottle of activated charcoal handy. It really helped. Anything suspicious, I had him eat a capsule or two and he never had an episode.


Grapes and raisins are also toxic to cats. Going off on a tangent, but one should never give pepto bismol to cats, it's quite toxic to them.

[lph]

And dogs being an omnivore like human have sweet tooth. Cats are strict carnivore and do not have the sweet receptor, no sweet tooth. Cats are less likely to indulge in chocolate.

This is interesting, because that was my impression too, that cats don't care much about sweets while dogs will eat anything. Maybe it was the fat in the milk chocolate she picked up on. I mostly eat very dark chocolate though which is very toxic to them, so I'll have to keep it out of harms way.

And still she'll eat just the head off a mouse and leave the rest under the couch. Thanks, cat.

[divingbiker]

Yay!

Sammy gets to come home in a few hours! His blood work today was normal and his kidneys are working fine.

Whew!

[Aggie_Ama]

Whew!!! So glad he does not have lasting effects from his experience. And it looks like some of use learned some information from his event. Give him a big hug from all his TE buddies!

[jessmarimba]

Yaaaaay for Sammy!

I think garlic is also toxic, as it's related to onions.

My cats eat next to no people food (their choice) but one loooves spaghetti sauce. I'm pretty sure after cleaning that up that tomatoes don't treat them too well either.

[NbyNW]

yay! glad Sammy will be home soon!

[divingbiker]

Question: are 16 packages of raisins the toxic level, or 16 raisins? That's a scarey thought if it is individual raisins.

16 individual raisins is the amount Sammy ate; 32 raisins is the toxic dose. He weighs about 30-35 pounds. This is what the vet calculated.

He's home now, and seems perfectly fine but tuckered out. We'll know for sure tomorrow afternoon.

[Blueberry]

I'd be very curious to hear how your pet insurance handles this - and if it's well, what company you use. And am so glad to hear your pup looks to be OK.

A "friend" who was pet sitting nearly killed our golden (she took him for a 2 mile "walk" in 95 degree weather and put him in heat stroke - not to mention ripping the skin completely off 3 paw pads). He spent 4 nights in the emergency vet with lots of nasty complications. Grand total bill: $5,998 (or so). Grand total pet insurance reimbursement: about $1,300. This is one of the better known major companies. I'm not feeling so good about it doing much in a real catastrophe.