Are grapes and raisins bad for your dog? The general consensus over the years has been yes, as suggested evidence has believed grapes and raisins lead to acute renal failure in canines. However, studies are beginning to believe that this is, in fact, not true. At least not entirely.
Are Grapes Dangerous For Dogs?
A recent video presentation with Dr. Greg Aldrich of Kansas State University has discussed this belief in some depth. Joined by Rodney Habib and Dr. Karen Becker, the trio discussed grapes and the pet food industry at large. The most interesting take away? Grapes are added to dog food in Europe, but not in the US. Why is that?
The fact of the matter that is discussed in the video is that there’s no specific element in grapes and raisins that are known to be harmful to dogs. All of the evidence offered is anecdotal, with little to no scientific grounding to back the information.
What’s Next?
As the pet food industry now begins to battle the issues coming to light from grain-free dog food, it’s unlikely we’ll see research and debate on grapes and raisins anytime soon unfortunately.
Aldrich continues to discuss studies in which dogs, being used as human health models, were fed large quantities of grape products for studies on vascularization and platelet formations. The dogs experienced no recorded side effects during the studies, and in fact showed beneficial results.
Now, we here at DogTime do not advise you going out and feeding your dog everything under the sun without further consultation with a trusted veterinarian. But in the event that your canine friend gets into the fruit drawer and has themselves a handful of grapes or raisins, perhaps there isn’t as much of a cause to worry as we may think. It’s still best to consult your vet, just in case.
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