Pet Care

March 5th, 2010

Raisin Toxicity

Written by:
Laurinda Morris, DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic
Danville , OH

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 that 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 1 AM on Wednesday but the owner didn’t call my emergency service until 7 AM..

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 IV fluids at 1 & 1/2 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 that 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 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..
Onions, chocolate, cocoa, avocadoes and macadamia nuts can be fatal, too.

Even if you don’t have a dog, you might have friends who do. This is worth passing onto them.

Confirmation from Snopes about the above www.snopes.com in search area type in “Raisin the Alarm

Posted in Pet Care

1 Comment »

February 5th, 2010

5 Tips for 2010 to avoid Cancer in your Pet

Cancer is one of the most feared conditions in dogs and cats. While we’ve made many great strides in treating cancer over the last decades, preventing (or at least reducing) cancer in pets should be every owner’s goal. Here are five simple things you can do to greatly reduce your pet’s chance of developing this dreaded and often fatal condition.

1. Reduce unnecessary vaccinations

Missy was an eight-year-old Persian cat who received vaccinations every year of her short life. One month following her recent (and unnecessary) vaccinations, she developed a lump at the site of one of her shots. A biopsy showed this lump was an aggressive cancer called a vaccine-associated sarcoma (VAS.) Despite her owner’s best efforts, Missy died less than a year following this diagnosis. Missy’s death was both unnecessary and avoidable. The current recommendation is that pets should receive vaccinations no more than every three years or even less than that based upon blood antibody titer testing. Vaccine-associated sarcomas can be greatly reduced in pets by simply not having your dog or cat immunized every year.

2. Feed your pet a healthy diet

Many well-known brands of pet foods contain animal and plant byproducts and chemical preservatives and additives. These ingredients are unnecessary and may prove harmful to pets by increasing inflammation and oxidation in the body, the two leading causes of cancers in most pets. By feeding your pet a natural food devoid of these potentially harmful ingredients, you can greatly reduce your pet’s risk of cancer.

3. Give your pet nutritional supplements

Many nutritional supplements such as fish oil, antioxidants, quercetin, curcumin, and probiotics can boost your pet’s immune system and minimize many diseases including cancer. Supplements made specifically for pets are usually available in palatable forms, making it easy to administer these life-saving products to your dog or cat.

4. Schedule regular checkups for your pet

Pets under 5 years of age should be examined at least once per year by your veterinarian, and pets 5 years of age and older should be examined at least twice yearly. These visits should include a full physical examination, as well as laboratory testing (blood testing, urine testing, and a microscopic fecal analysis.) Early diagnosis is your pet’s best chance for surviving cancer. Many cancers that are diagnosed before they become clinically apparent can actually be cured with proper therapy.

5. Don’t ignore lumps and bumps

All lumps and bumps should be checked by your veterinarian when they first appear. The good news is that most lumps and bumps are not cancerous tumors. The bad news is that cancerous tumors look just like these benign lumps and bumps. No one can tell if a lump or bump is cancerous without some sort of testing. Most skin masses can be easily diagnosed in the doctor’s office with a simple and inexpensive procedure called an aspiration biopsy. Other masses might require surgical removal for a full biopsy. Regardless, don’t wait and watch cancer grow. All lumps are considered cancerous until proven otherwise, and simply having the doctor look and feel your pet’s lump is not adequate.

By following these simple 5 tips, you can do a lot to help prevent cancer in your pet and give your pet the best chance for cure if and when cancer is diagnosed.

Dr. Shawn Messonnier, DVM the host of the weekly award-winning radio show, “Dr. Shawn-The Natural Vet” on Martha Stewart Radio (Sirius 112 Tues 8-10 PM EST and Sat 9-11AM EST) sits on the advisory board of the Journal Veterinary Forum, and is a holistic pet columnist for Animal Wellness, Body + Soul, and Veterinary Forum. In addition to serving clients in his Paws & Claws Animal Hospital, he has written several books on the natural care of pets, including The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats, The Allergy Solution for Dogs, 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog, Preventing and Treating Cancer In Dogs and most recently Unexpected Miracles (Forge Books/ Aug 2009). He is also the creator of a new line of organic pet products, Dr. Shawn’s Pet Organics (www.Dr.Shawnspetorganics.com) You’ll find him online at www.petcarenaturally.com

H1N1: Not Species Specific, Infects Dogs And Cats

To see more of Basil and Spice, go to www.basilandspice.com