Massive Increase In Dogs Poisoned By Chocolate And Grapes

[merledogs]

Link to story.

[Gemstone]

That is very strange as I would have thought that people would have become more aware of the dangers over time

[cocoa]

people just don't think at all.

[cycas]

That is very strange as I would have thought that people would have become more aware of the dangers over time

 

I wonder if improved awareness has actually increased the number of reported cases? If you didn't know that it was a problem, you might not bother to contact the vet until it was too late. The number that has increased is calls by vets to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service for information, not deaths, so perhaps people are more likely to rush their pet to the vet when they realise it has eaten raisins or chocs, and the vet is more likely to take the problem seriously?

 

That reminds me, I must cut the young grapes off my vine at Mollydog level again. Before I realised a fey years ago that she would like them, she nicked a whole bunch right off the vine and ate it. Luckily she doesn't seem to be sensitive to whatever the toxin is.

[ReikiAnge]

I wonder if improved awareness has actually increased the number of reported cases? If you didn't know that it was a problem, you might not bother to contact the vet until it was too late. The number that has increased is calls by vets to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service for information, not deaths, so perhaps people are more likely to rush their pet to the vet when they realise it has eaten raisins or chocs, and the vet is more likely to take the problem seriously?

 

That's exactly what I thought when I read it.

 

That reminds me, I must cut the young grapes off my vine at Mollydog level again. Before I realised a fey years ago that she would like them, she nicked a whole bunch right off the vine and ate it. Luckily she doesn't seem to be sensitive to whatever the toxin is.

 

We used to feed Cassie a few grapes with her breakfast when we first got her She loved them, I had no idea they were bad and she had no ill effect. She's also had dark chocolate a couple of times when I've been careless (which is most unlike me as I am normally a terrible worrier where the dogs are concerned) and again she's been fine. For a dog that had a sensitive stomach and had to be fed on some rubbish sensitive food for the rest of her life, she seems to have developed a cast iron stomach, thankfully.

 

We have a vine and the dogs haven't been interested so far thankfully and the grapes grow a little high up for them.

[Rudi]

I also wonder if the increase is because people report things more. There was a story in one of the dog magazines about a lady whose dog ate some chocolate, I don't think the dog became sick but she got worried, took the dog to the vet who promptly pumped it's stomach and kept it in overnight. Fair enough if the dog had actually become ill, but I thought it a bit over the top if it wasn't. My dogs get things like Maltesers once in a while with no ill effects and long before I knew they were dangerous, my first rottie used to sit with a bunch of grapes and pick them off one by one.

[mum24dog]

I wonder if improved awareness has actually increased the number of reported cases?

 

Or even the number of cases diagnosed by vets when reported?

There did seem to be a worrying number of vets who weren't aware of the danger of grapes and raisins fairly recently.

Chocolate I think has been common knowledge for a long time.

 

Pam