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If you witnessed or strongly suspect your pet ingested grapes, raisins, or Zante currants, this is considered an \u201cORANGE\u201d \u2013 or urgent case \u2013 on our Fast Track Triage system. We recommend calling ASPCA Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435 for help determining if your pet consumed a toxic amount and for guidance on what to do next. If veterinary care is advised, call your family veterinarian or local animal emergency hospital ahead of your arrival.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n A\u00a0few years ago, a dog came to our St. Paul facility after eating a\u00a0currant scone that\u00a0his owner\u00a0had purchased at a caf\u00e9. As soon as she realized what had happened, she rushed the dog to our ER.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Now here\u2019s the tricky part. Our team had to figure out what type of currants were used in the scone \u2013 because what happened next depended entirely on whether or not the scone contained true currants or Zante currants, which are far more dangerous.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The caf\u00e9 directed us to Midwest Northern Nut<\/a> in Minneapolis, who supplies their scones. Thanks to their wonderful staff, we were\u00a0able to quickly identify the exact species found in the scone. Unfortunately, the dog did indeed eat Zante currants, but Midwest Northern Nut was able to give us all the information we needed for decontamination. Thanks to them and to Mom\u2019s recognition of the potential toxin and quick action, this dog was able to go home!<\/span><\/p>\n However, that\u2019s not always the case. We\u2019re sharing this story because while many pet parents are aware that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>grapes and raisins<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0are toxic to pets, they often forget that this also includes Zante currants and sultanas, which are other types of dried grapes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>So<\/span>\u00a0if you love baking with currants or\u00a0<\/span>enjoy grapes in any format \u2013 it\u2019s important to know which type of currants are toxic to pets and just how dangerous they can be!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When it comes to currants, there are true currants and then there are Zante currants. Black, white, and red true currants (<\/span>Ribes\u00a0nigrum<\/span><\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Ribes\u00a0rubrum<\/span><\/i>) are a type of berry and therefore considered non-toxic, but\u00a0they may cause minor stomach upset in large quantities.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Then there are Zante currants (<\/span>Vitis\u00a0vinifera<\/span><\/i>). These\u00a0actually\u00a0aren\u2019t currants\u00a0at all!\u00a0Instead of a dried berry, Zante currants are a dried grape, which means they are highly toxic to pets.\u00a0Beware though, many grocery\u00a0stores have easier access to Zante currants and label them as \u201ccurrants\u201d \u2013 so double-check those labels!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Grapes, raisins, sultanas, and Zante currants are all considered toxic to\u00a0dogs, cats, and ferrets. They can cause fatal kidney failure.\u00a0Common\u00a0symptoms of ingestion include lack of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Foods that\u00a0often\u00a0contain grapes or\u00a0raisins, currants, and sultanas:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Veterinarians only recently discovered why grapes and dried grapes are toxic to pets. A\u00a0<\/span><\/span>study<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0<\/span><\/span>ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>linked tartaric acid and its salt<\/span>\u00a0(potassium\u00a0<\/span>bitartrate<\/span>) as the toxic principles that cause renal failure in pets. They made this discovery by studying cases of pets eating cream of tartar that contains the same ingredients and also resulted in toxicity. Variable concentrations of these components may explain why some pets develop kidney failure after eating grapes, dried grapes, and products made with grapes or dried grapes, while other pets have no issues.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The best way to prevent grape and dried grape\u00a0<\/span>toxicity in pets is by keeping all grapes, raisins, Zante currants, sultanas, and products made with any of these ingredients out of your pet\u2019s reach. If your pet does get into any of these items, or you suspect he has, seek immediate veterinary treatment. Do not wait for visible symptoms – every second counts to begin treatment and avoid kidney failure<\/span>!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Learn more about grape and dried grapes toxicity in pets\u00a0<\/span><\/span>here<\/span><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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<\/p>\nUnderstanding\u00a0<\/span>Types of Currants<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\nGrapes & Dried Grape Toxicity\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
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\u00a0<\/span>Why are grapes & dried grapes toxic to pets?\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
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