No. Dogs should never eat grapes, raisins, sultanas or dried Zante currants, whatever the color, seeded or seedless, organic or homegrown. There is no known safe amount, and nobody can predict which dog will react: some eat a handful and stay well, others develop acute kidney injury (kidneys that suddenly stop filtering the blood) after a few.
If your dog ate any, call your veterinarian or a 24/7 animal poison line now, even if your dog seems completely fine. Kidney signs show up a day or more later, and the best time to act is before them.
Why Are Grapes Toxic to Dogs?
For years it was a mystery. Then toxicologists at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center noticed that dogs who ate cream of tartar or tamarinds developed the same kidney damage seen after grapes. The common ingredient is tartaric acid, which the ASPCA now names as the likely toxic component in grapes and raisins. The Merck Veterinary Manual calls it a proposed cause, and Pet Poison Helpline says it is suspected but not yet proven.
The theory explains a lot. Dogs lack some of the transporters other species use to clear organic acids, so tartaric acid builds up in the cells that line the kidney tubules. And grapes don't carry a fixed amount of it: the ASPCA reports anywhere from 0.35% to 2%. That spread, plus differences between dogs, is why one dog shrugs off a grape that makes another one seriously ill.
Raisins, Sultanas and Currants
Raisins and sultanas are dried grapes, so they carry the same risk. Muscadines are grapes too.
"Currant" is trickier, because the name covers two different fruits. Zante (Corinthian) currants are tiny dried grapes and count as toxic. True currants, the Ribes berries, have not been linked to kidney injury, according to Merck. If you're not sure which kind your dog got into, treat it as a grape and call.
Where Grapes and Raisins Hide
Raisins turn up in a lot of everyday food. Check labels on anything a dog can reach:
- Trail mix and granola or cereal bars (some use raisin paste)
- Breakfast cereals with raisins
- Baked goods: raisin bread, cookies, muffins and cakes
- Chocolate assortments with raisins, which add chocolate to the problem
- Some jams
- Grape pressings left over from wine making
Two more aren't grapes at all but carry the same acid (more on that below): tamarind paste and homemade playdough made with cream of tartar.
What about grape juice and jelly? VCA Animal Hospitals' handout says grape juice and jelly made from juice concentrate haven't been linked to this kidney poisoning. That isn't the same as proven safe, and neither one is a dog treat. If your dog got into any grape product, call your vet or a poison line and ask.
For the full list of kitchen dangers, see our guide to human foods toxic to dogs.
Signs of Grape Poisoning and When They Start
The first signs are usually stomach trouble within hours. Kidney damage follows over the next one to three days, and more serious signs often appear only once it has begun.
Time after eating | What may happen |
|---|---|
6-12 hours | Vomiting or diarrhea (vomiting is the most common first sign) |
24-48 hours | Tiredness, not eating, belly pain, weakness, drinking more, dehydration |
24-72 hours | Acute kidney injury in affected dogs: little or no urine, worsening weakness |
Watch for:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy and weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Belly pain
- Drinking more than usual, then peeing less, or not at all
- Dehydration
- Tremors (shivering)
- Wobbliness or unsteady walking
- Collapse
In a study of 43 dogs that developed kidney injury after grapes or raisins, every one vomited, and dogs that stopped producing urine or became wobbly or weak were less likely to survive (Eubig et al., 2005). Learn more about the signs of kidney failure in dogs.
None of these signs is specific to grapes, and none is a reason to wait. Call as soon as you know your dog ate grapes, not when the signs appear.
How Many Grapes Are Toxic to a Dog?
Nobody can give you a safe number. There is no well-established toxic dose. One dog can eat a few grapes and be fine while another develops kidney injury from the same amount. Seedless and seeded grapes are equally risky.
In general, the more a dog eats, the higher the risk. A small dog takes in more per pound of body weight from the same grape than a large dog does, so small dogs have less margin. But because sensitivity can't be predicted, the answer to "should I call about one grape in a big dog?" is still yes.
My Dog Ate Grapes: What to Do Now
- Move your dog away from any grapes, raisins or wrappers that are left.
- Call your veterinarian or a poison line right away, even if your dog seems normal:
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435
- Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661
- Both are open 24/7. A consultation fee may apply. After hours, call your nearest emergency vet.
- Have the details ready: what your dog ate (grapes, raisins, a raisin cookie), roughly how much, when, and your dog's weight. Bring the packaging. A chewed-up raisin box spotted on the way to the clinic is exactly the kind of clue your vet needs.
- Don't make your dog vomit or give anything unless your vet or the poison line tells you to. The ASPCA warns that inducing vomiting at home can be dangerous, and the professionals decide whether it's needed and how to do it safely.
- Go in if they tell you to. If your dog is already vomiting, very weak, wobbly or collapsing, head straight to the nearest vet or emergency hospital.
What Happens at the Vet
Diagnosis rests on the story. There's no specific lab test for grape poisoning, so telling your vet what your dog ate matters. Without that history, the signs look like many other illnesses, and your vet may need to rule out other causes of kidney injury, such as antifreeze.
Bloodwork and a urinalysis show how the kidneys are working now and give a baseline to compare against over the next few days.
Treatment depends on how much was eaten and how long ago:
- Early decontamination. If your dog still seems normal, Merck recommends prompt decontamination, which means your vet removes as much of the fruit from the stomach as they safely can. Your vet chooses whether and how.
- IV fluids in hospital. After larger amounts, or once signs start, dogs are usually hospitalized on intravenous fluids to support the kidneys, with repeat blood tests to track kidney values.
- Advanced care. Dogs that stop producing urine may need dialysis at a specialty hospital.
Dogs treated promptly, before signs appear, generally do well. Once a dog stops making urine the outlook is poor. In two published case series of dogs that had already developed kidney injury, about half survived (Eubig et al., 2005; Schweighauser et al., 2020), and some survivors are left with chronic kidney disease. Calling early gives your dog the best chance of staying out of that group.
Myths About Dogs and Grapes
"One or two grapes are fine"
Not reliably. There is no known safe amount, and small dogs have the least margin. Pick a different treat.
"It's the seeds, so seedless grapes are safe"
Wrong. Seedless and seeded grapes have both caused poisoning, and so have raisins.
"My dog eats grapes all the time and is fine"
Your dog may have been lucky. Tartaric acid levels vary widely between grapes, so a past snack predicts nothing about the next one. Save the grapes for yourself.
"If my dog ate grapes, I'll just watch them"
This is the dangerous one. By the time kidney signs appear, damage has already started, and the treatment that works best is the one given while your dog still looks normal. Call now.
Other Questions
Can grapes kill dogs?
Yes, they can. Acute kidney injury from grapes or raisins can be fatal, especially once a dog stops producing urine. Dogs treated early, before signs appear, generally have a good outlook.
Can dogs eat grape seed extract?
VCA's handout says grape seed extract hasn't been linked to this poisoning. Ask your vet before giving your dog any grape product, supplements included.
What about tamarind and cream of tartar?
They aren't grapes, but they are rich in the same tartaric acid, and dogs have developed kidney injury after eating them. None of the dogs in the published ASPCA cases got early treatment, and most did not survive. Keep tamarind paste and homemade playdough out of reach, and call if your dog eats some.
Are cats and ferrets at risk?
Published cases are in dogs. There are anecdotal reports of kidney problems in cats and ferrets after grapes or raisins, so keep them away from all pets to be safe.
Which other foods should my dog avoid?
Onions and garlic damage red blood cells instead of the kidneys: see can dogs eat onions. For stone fruit, see can dogs eat plums.
Originally written by Helen Roberts. Updated by the I Love Veterinary editorial team.
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Grape, Raisin, and Tamarind (Vitis spp, Tamarindus spp) Toxicosis in Dogs
- ASPCApro: Toxic Component in Grapes and Raisins Identified
- Wegenast et al., Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (2022): Acute kidney injury in dogs following ingestion of cream of tartar and tamarinds
- Eubig et al., Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (2005): Acute renal failure in dogs after the ingestion of grapes or raisins, 43 dogs
- Schweighauser et al., Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (2020): Toxicosis with grapes or raisins causing acute kidney injury and neurological signs in dogs
- ASPCA: People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets
- Pet Poison Helpline: Grapes
- Pet Poison Helpline: Raisins
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Grape, Raisin, and Currant Poisoning in Dogs
- ASPCA: What to Do if Your Pet Is Poisoned
- ASPCA: My Pet Ate Something! When Should I Seek Help?
- ASPCA: Is It Ever Safe to Induce Vomiting?
- Pet Poison Helpline: If Your Pet Eats Something Toxic, Hold the Hydrogen Peroxide
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
- Pet Poison Helpline: Contact
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from your veterinarian.
