Can Dogs Eat Raisins? (A Cautionary Tale About My Whippet)

I’ve seen many forum posts asking if dogs can eat raisins. This has prompted me to tell you a story that’s close to my heart.

If you’re Whippet owner or thinking of becoming one, I hope this story will serve as a cautionary tale. It’s an important one for any dog owner, but perhaps especially so for Whippets since it’s about food: more specifically raisins.

Why do I say this is especially important for Whippets?

Well… Whippets will famously eat anything if you turn your back for a second. In most cases this is an inconvenience rather than a problem. However it can be a serious problem if your Whippet eats foods all dogs must avoid.

I know that most dog breeds are opportunists when it comes to sneaking a morsel from your plate when you’re not looking. However, Whippets (and all Whippet mixes) are some of the worst offenders in the canine world in my experience.

So I’m going to explain the circumstances around how our Whippet Misty ate some food she shouldn’t have… and what happened as a result.

Can Dogs Eat Raisins?

Let me answer this upfront. Dogs must not eat raisins as they are toxic to them.

It seems ridiculous I know, but raisins pose a real threat to all dog breeds actually. It’s not fully understood precisely how, but raisins cause liver and kidney failure in dogs.

This can be fatal.

The following is the experience we had when our Whippet ate raisins… fortunately for us it ended well.

When Misty Ate Raisins

Several months ago, our youngest daughter left a small bowl of raisins on a countertop in our kitchen. The problem was she’d left the bowl near the edge of the counter, where our Whippet could reach them.

And that’s just what Misty did!

We were aware that raisins are toxic to all dogs and so it was lucky for us we discovered within a few minutes our Whippet had found and eaten some. We knew we had to take her to a vet immediately.

Luckily we have a vet very close to where we live. So around 20 minutes had elapsed from the point our Whippet had eaten the raisins to the time we arrived at the vets.

The exact amount of raisins it takes to cause canine organ failure is not fully understood but possibly a dog’s size plays a part. As a result, a vet will always err on the side of caution, especially with smaller dogs like Whippets.

For budding canine bakers, here are some safe and healthy dog cake recipes.

Whippets are not the largest dogs by any stretch so we were very concerned.

Our vet advised us they would need to purge the contents of her stomach and then take her in overnight to keep a close eye on her. 

We spent a very fraught evening hoping Misty the Whippet would be okay. Our daughter was devastated about the whole incident and we had to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault… it’s just one of the things that can happen to any dog owner.

Of course we tried to remain positive, but we were really worried that our Whippet was suffering and that there might not be a positive outcome for us, especially since we know of some Whippets that aren’t so lucky.

The story for us had a good ending though. After spending a night at the veterinary clinic, Misty was released back to us the next day feeling a little weak and sorry for herself.

We were all extremely relieved… especially our daughter.

The Implications of Dogs Eating Raisins

There are two major implications to your dog eating raisins, or any other food that’s dangerous to them.

• Your dog’s physical and emotional wellbeing.
• Your emotional wellbeing.
• Veterinary costs.

If your Whippet eats something toxic, they can suffer very painful effects… and beyond a certain point there may be no treatment. The toxins will either have to work their way out of your dog’s system or at worse your dog may not recover at all and pass away.

Neither is a visit and stay at a veterinary clinic a pleasant experience for your dog. Our Whippet finds visiting a vet an extremely stressful experience at the best of times. Under these circumstances I know that Misty was highly anxious.

But it’s also extremely distressing for you as a dog owner too. Leaving your dog with a vet is never enjoyable and it’s made even worse when you imagine something really serious might be taking place.

Finally, veterinary fees are not cheap. We have pet insurance, which covered the treatment fees in this case. Had we not had insurance cover it would have cost us personally around £2,000.

Of course your dog’s health is the most important thing, but nobody wants to receive an eye watering invoice for something that could be avoided.

Before committing to life with a Whippet, it’s vital to know which foods Whippets should avoid. This is important to because there are lots of them, many of which will surprise you.

What to Do If Your Dog Eats Raisins

This is fairly simple advice but it’s something you can forget easily when panic sets in.

• Try to remain calm and objective.
• Establish how many raisins your Whippet has eaten and the time when he or she ate them. This information will be useful to your vet.
• Take them to a veterinary clinic as quickly as you can… perhaps call them when you’re on your way to let them know in advance.

Summary

As I’ve mentioned, there are many foods all dogs should avoid.

First and foremost, it’s important to know foods that are dangerous to dogs. Sadly many of the foods dogs must avoid are commonly found in our homes. You’d never imagine some of them could be so dangerous.

Make sure you know what these foods are and keep them away from your dog, since you could end up with a sick dog, or even worse have to make a trip to the vet.

Never give raisins to any dog and be vigilant with all food at all times. Whippets are sneaky eaters and will eat food they can reach… even on a full stomach!

Finally, never leave food unattended… and if you do, make sure your dog cannot get to it!

Has your dog ever eaten raisins? I’d love for you to share your experiences so please leave a comment below.