Does anyone know some healthy treats I could give my dog?

[CoraNewf]

Raisins, and possibly grapes are toxic for dogs! A Basenji here in Dayton died after eating about a 1/2 cup of raisins. He was rushed to Ohio State Veterinary School, but there was nothing they could do. The Vets at Ohio State said that Raisins are toxic. This was also written about on the ASPCA's website. It is un-clear about grapes, but I'm not taking any chances!!!!

I have heard that green beans are good for dogs, especially those on diets!

[Karen]

But grapes can't be bad! Maybe it has something to do with how raisins are made, or the fact that they're "cured" or concentrated or something. My Uncle Mac's dog, Sal, a Border Collie mix that was his farm-dog when I was a kid, would leap six feet into the air for grapes. I think if you had a hot dog or a grape, she'd go for the grape every time. She was never sick, and lived to a good old age, from what I remember!

[Karen]

Okay, I guess Sal was never over-indulged in her love for grapes. As in many things, limited amounts are okay, I found the following at http://VetInfo.com:


Grape and raisin poisonings in Dogs

Recently, there was a letter in the AVMA Journal from Dr. Gwaltney-Brant and others at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center discussing grape and raisin poisoning in dogs. Apparently, grapes and raisins can be toxic to dogs when ingested in large quantities.

The grapes and raisins came from varied sources, including being eaten off the vine directly. The dogs exhibited gastrointestinal signs including vomiting and diarrhea and then signs of kidney failure with an onset of severe kidney signs starting about 24 hours after ingestion of the grapes or raisins. The amount of grapes eaten varied between 9oz. and 2 lbs., which worked out to be between 0.41 and 1.1 oz/kg of body weight. Two dogs died directly from the toxicity, three were euthanized due to poor response to treatment and five dogs lived. Due to the severity of the signs and the potential for death, the veterinarians as the poison control center advocate aggressive treatment for any dogs suggested of ingesting excessive amounts of grapes or raisins, including inducing vomiting, stomach lavage (stomach pumping) and administration of activated charcoal,
followed by intravenous fluid therapy for at least 48 hours or as indicated based on the results of blood tests for kidney damage.


I have fed my dogs a few grapes every now and then for years, so I don't think there is a need to panic if a dog eats three or four grapes but if the whole bunch is missing from the table one day, it would be good to think about watching for any signs of a toxic reaction.

Michael Richards, DVM
6/5/2001

[RachelJ]

Thanks for posting that Karen. I had no idea. My dogs love grapes although I haven't given them huge amounts, it is not worth the risk knowing this.

Because my Hannah is such a mouthy little bitch, my husband often tells her "You can't bust a grape". So it was our little inside joke to give her a grape and say, show daddy you can too bust a grape.

[TollSettFK]

Bannanas and Ice cubes and peantut butter.

[TollSettFK]

Ohh yes, I forgot to mention this. GREENIES!!!!! Thier VERY healthy, good for the teeth and gums. They are just green, edible dog bones, that don't dissapear in fifteen minutes. My puppy has had one for five days, and it's still going strong, even though it is chewwed practicly 24/7. I highly recomend these. And also, Old Mother hubbards dog treats. My puppy just LOVES them in beef flavor( thats the only flavor he has tryed). They are all natreul, good for the teeth and gums, and, just really good for the dog.