Stella

Stella, a yellow Labrador puppy, presented at 4 months of age for vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and lethargy.  She had a history of exposure to grapes and her illness came on rather suddenly.  Stella was depressed and dehydrated and her kidney values were quite elevated (one was too high for our analyzer to read).  We instituted aggressive fluid therapy along with medications to lower her elevated and potentially dangerous Calcium and Phosphorus levels, while closely monitoring her electrolytes.  Stella stayed in our hospital for five days.  With aggressive IV therapy and dedicated nursing care along with love and support of her family (mom and dad visiting frequently), Stella was able to go home.  She'll need on-going monitoring for kidney change throughout her life, but she has been doing great at home so far.

Stella suffered from grape toxicosis.  Grapes and raisins are toxic to the kidneys of dogs and cats (However, cats are much less likely to eat grapes or raisins).  Stella was lucky to have survived.  Always be careful and consult your veterinarian if you are unsure about the safety of a particular food or medication for your pets.  What may be safe for a human could be toxic and even deadly to a pet.