Good info! From a vet clinic in Memphis.
> > 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 who 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 I V fluids at 1 ½ 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.
>
> The biggest troublemaker you will probably ever have
to
> deal with watches
> you from the mirror every morning.
>
Phyllis Smith
