You might love raisin bread as a snack or breakfast, but did you know that it can be deadly for your dog? Raisin bread contains raisins, which are one of the most poisonous foods for dogs. Even a few raisins can cause serious kidney problems or even death in dogs. Raisin bread also has bread, which is not good for your dog’s health. Bread can have other harmful ingredients like garlic, nuts, or chocolate, which can make your dog sick. In this article, you will learn why raisin bread is bad for dogs, how to prevent your dog from eating raisin bread, and what to do if your dog accidentally eats raisin bread. You will also discover some healthy and tasty treats that you can give your dog instead of raisin bread.
Why You Should Never Feed Your Dog Raisin Bread
Bread is not healthy for dogs, but it is not the main problem. The real danger is uncooked bread dough. This can make dogs very sick by causing their stomachs to swell and twist (this is called gastric-dilation volvulus or GDV). It can also make them drunk from the yeast that is fermenting.
The worst thing for dogs, however, is the raisins. Grapes and raisins, whether they are fresh, dried, or baked in bread or cakes, are very poisonous to dogs. They can cause kidney failure and death. We will call them ‘grapes and/or raisins’ for the rest of this article.
Some foods that have grapes and raisins in them are very common. Dogs should never eat these foods. They are fruit bread, trail mix, cinnamon raisin bagels, fruit scones, fruit cake, bread rolls, cereals with raisins, and oatmeal raisin cookies.
What happens if a dog eats raisin bread?
Raisins and grapes are good for people, but bad for dogs. They can make dogs’ kidneys stop working. This is very serious, and you need to help your dog fast if they ate raisin bread.
Some signs that your dog ate raisin bread are:
- Drinking and peeing a lot: This can mean their kidneys are not working well.
- Hurting belly: Your dog may act restless, bend their back, or show pain.
- Feeling weak or tired: Your dog may not have much energy.
- Not wanting to eat: Your dog may have problems with their stomach.
- Stinky breath: This can happen because of their kidneys and body.
- Shaking or having fits: This can happen in very bad cases.
- Being dry: Your dog may have dry mouth, eyes, or skin.
- Acting different: Your dog may be grumpy, cry, or want to be alone.
What to Do If Your Dog Eat Raisin Bread
Raisin bread can be very harmful to your dog, so you need to act fast if they eat any. Follow these steps right away to reduce the risk of serious complications.
Step 1: Check Your Dog If your dog shows signs of severe poisoning, such as being very weak, unsteady, breathless, or having seizures, rush them to the nearest emergency vet. If they look alert and comfortable, go to step 2. Don’t waste any time, as early treatment is crucial.
Step 2: Get Rid of All Raisin Bread Prevent your dog and any other pets in the house from eating more bread. Clear up and dispose of any leftovers and make sure the trash can is out of reach.
Step 3: Collect Information The more information you can provide to your vet, the better, as it will help them decide the best course of action. Try to find out when and how much raisin bread your dog ate, what brand or type it was, and if they also ate any plastic wrapping. You may need to look at the remains or the trash to figure this out.
Step 4: Contact Your Vet Urgently Because raisins and grapes can be unpredictably toxic to dogs, it’s always best to call your vet, even if you think your dog ate only a small amount. Tell your vet all the information you collected. They’ll also need to know your dog’s weight, breed, age, and any medical conditions or medications they have. Your vet will tell you what to do next.
Why Do Raisins Make Dogs Sick?
No one knows for sure why dogs can’t eat grapes and raisins without risking their lives. Even after many studies and research, the exact cause of their toxicity remains unknown.
Some experts think that the problem lies in the mycotoxin (a harmful substance made by mold or fungus) that is found on and inside the fruit. They have seen how mycotoxin can destroy dog kidney cells in a lab setting.
This idea came up when there was a sudden increase in cases of dogs getting poisoned by grapes and raisins in a year with a lot of rain. The rain might have made the grapes wet all the time, which could have led to more fungal growth.
Others believe that the main culprit is the flesh of the fruit itself (not the seeds or skin), although they are not sure if the other parts are safe either.
Some also suggest that it has something to do with an aspirin-like drug called salicylate that is present in raisins and that can block the blood flow to the kidneys.
But so far, no one has been able to identify the actual toxic substance in grapes or raisins, even with careful analysis. That’s why any contact with the fruit by dogs should be treated as a life-threatening situation.
How Many Raisins Can Kill A Dog?
You might think that the bigger the dog, the more raisins they can eat without getting sick. But that’s not always true. Raisin toxicity is very unpredictable and depends on each dog’s individual reaction.
We don’t know what makes grapes and raisins so dangerous for dogs, and we don’t know how much is too much either. Even a small amount of raisins, grapes or currants can cause severe kidney failure in dogs.
Different vets have different opinions on how much raisins can harm a dog, not because they disagree on the facts, but because every case is different and random.
One vet says that the toxic dose is 2-3 grapes per kg of body weight (1-2 grapes per pound).
Another says that the critical dose starts at 0.18 ounces of grapes per pound of body weight, which means that a 20 pound dog would only need to eat 3-4 grapes to get sick.
Raisins are believed to be more toxic than grapes, and usually have lower toxic doses. One of the smallest doses that can cause poisoning in dogs is 0.04 ounces per pound of dog body weight.
According to this, a 20 pound dog would be in danger if they ate around 22 raisins! That might seem like a lot, but if you look at the raisin bread in your kitchen, you’ll see how easy it is.
It’s possible that one raisin or grape won’t hurt your dog, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Don’t let your dog near any raisins or raisin products!
Conclusion
As we have seen, raisin bread can be very dangerous for our canine companions. We should never give them grapes (in any form) as a treat or snack. This means informing our guests and relatives when they visit, and keeping an eye on children when they eat.
We should also use a trash can that our pets cannot access or open, and keep them away from the garbage. This is especially important for pets who love to eat anything they find. When we make raisin bread, we might want to keep our pet in another room. This way, they won’t be tempted by any fallen ingredients!
Grape and raisin poisoning can have unpredictable consequences. Even small amounts can lead to fatal kidney failure. If your dog has eaten raisins or grapes, or you think they might have, take them to the vet right away. The sooner they can be treated, the better their chances of survival.
