# Why grapes are poisonous to dogs



## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

BREAKING NEWS
Veterinarians at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center in the USA think they have worked out the reason why grapes are toxic to dogs.

After receiving reports of vomiting and kidney injury following exposure to cream of tartar, veterinarians put two and two together and worked out that tartaric acid and potassium bitartrate, compounds present in cream of tartar, are also present in grapes.

This may finally answer the long standing question as to why dogs develop kidney injury following ingestion of grapes. It also answers the question as to why some dogs are affected and others are not. This conundrum lies in the variability in tartaric acid concentration in grapes with concentrations changing based on grape type, locality and ripeness.

Whilst 20g of grapes per kg (approximately 5 grapes per kg) has been reported to cause kidney damage, there is a report of a dog eating 1/2 grape per kg developing kidney injury also. So the best advice out there is still to avoid feeding your dog grapes and sultanas!


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

this is great insight, thank you for sharing.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I never knew cream of tartar was poisonous to dogs. But it's not like I have it out baking pies all the time.


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