Dogs / Nutrition
Raisins, or kishmish, show up everywhere in Indian kitchens: in biryani, pulao, kheer, sheera, halwa and countless mithai. Precisely because they are so common, it is worth being direct about this one
Raisins, or kishmish, show up everywhere in Indian kitchens: in biryani, pulao, kheer, sheera, halwa and countless mithai. Precisely because they are so common, it is worth being direct about this one: raisins are toxic to dogs and should never be fed intentionally, however small the amount.
Raisins, along with grapes and Zante currants, have been linked to acute kidney failure in dogs. Researchers have not pinned down a single toxic substance with total certainty, though tartaric acid, present in high concentrations in these fruits, is currently considered a leading candidate. Dogs are thought to process organic acids like this poorly compared with other species, which allows the compound to build up and damage the kidneys.
This is what makes raisins particularly worrying compared with many other foods on a list of things to avoid. Some dogs have eaten a handful of raisins with no apparent ill effect, while others have developed kidney failure after just one or two. Because there is no reliable way to predict which dogs will react, veterinarians treat every ingestion as a potential emergency, regardless of the dog's size or how much was eaten.
Contact your veterinarian or the nearest emergency animal hospital immediately, even if your dog seems completely fine. Do not wait for symptoms to appear, since by the time they do, kidney damage may already be underway. Try to note roughly how many raisins were eaten and when, as this helps your vet plan treatment.
Interestingly for Indian households, tamarind, or imli, a staple in sambar, rasam, chutneys and countless other dishes, has also been associated with kidney failure in dogs in veterinary literature, thought to be linked to the same tartaric acid mechanism as grapes and raisins. It is sensible to keep tamarind based dishes away from your dog as well, particularly in concentrated forms such as tamarind paste or candy.
Fruit cake, plum cake and Christmas pudding, popular across much of India during the December season, especially in Goa, Kerala and the larger metros, are often dense with raisins, sultanas and currants. A slice left within reach on a table can contain a genuinely dangerous quantity for a dog, so treat these bakes with the same caution as any other raisin containing dish.
During festival season especially, when mithai, dry fruit mixes and kheer are common in Indian homes, keep these dishes well away from curious dogs, store dry fruit containers securely, and let visiting family and children know not to share festive sweets with the family dog.
Article content © Ravi Teja. All rights reserved.
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