SCOTT SHALAWAY Keep Rover around by avoiding these treats

"Wanna go for a walk?"
It's a simple question, but to Daisy, my family's yellow Lab, it's the highlight of her day. She loves to roam the fields and woods as much as I do.
I like to think it's my companionship she loves, but she always begins by taking off on an olfactory adventure. Her nose checks every deer trail, ground hog burrow and cottontail form. After about 20 minutes, she settles in and stays close by my side. That's when I think she enjoys my company as much as I enjoy hers.
Daisy's a member of the family, and that's how we treat her. We talk to her, eat dinner with her and at bedtime we tuck her in. And I'm sure countless other dog owners treat their pets the same way. We really do develop a strong bond with our dogs.
When I was a boy, my Aunt Plum had a pure white English setter named Jay. She had no children, but she had Jay. He drank bottled spring water chilled in the refrigerator, often ate freshly grilled hamburgers, and got a brick of vanilla ice cream before bedtime every night.
We often go beyond simply bonding with our dogs; we spoil them. It's why we buy them dog biscuits and other tasty treats. And it's so easy to feed them people food. But people food can be dangerous, and that's today's message.
The great grape lesson
One of Daisy's favorite treats (actually she's never met a treat that wasn't a favorite) are grapes. They've always been a popular snack in our house, so it was natural for Emma and Nora to occasionally throw a grape or two to our big blond teddy bear. I did, too. But no more. I just discovered that grapes and raisins can kill dogs. The news shocked me, so I Googled the question, "Can dogs eat grapes?"
I quickly learned the answer is "no." The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) advises pet owners to simply stop giving dogs grapes and raisins. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea, and in severe cases acute renal (kidney) failure. Some dogs die.
In 1989, the APCC established a computerized database to study relationships between medical symptoms and toxic substance exposure in dogs. Cases accumulated and eventually the danger from grapes and raisins became clear.
It takes more than a few grapes to induce a serious reaction, so if your dog grabs one or two grapes off the floor, it's no problem. But if your dog eats a bunch of grapes or a whole box of raisins, call your veterinarian or the APCC at (888) 426-4435.
Curiously, to date there is no explanation for the toxicity of grapes and raisins. It's unrelated to type of grape and source of grape, and tests for pesticides, heavy metals and fungi have all been negative. Furthermore, the toxicity seems limited to dogs. So I'll pass along the advice I got from Daisy's veterinarian, Dr. Phillip Puskarich: "There's no reason to take unnecessary risks. I say avoid grapes and raisins at all costs."
Other problem foods
My search for information about grape toxicity to dogs led me to some other common foods that can be harmful to dogs. Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine, which can cause problems for the heart and pancreas. Cocoa mulch contains the same chemical, so beware of this aromatic product as spring arrives. Fatty foods such as turkey skin are difficult to digest and can cause pancreatitis. Macadamia nuts can lead to bladder stones. Onions, particularly raw onions, can trigger anemia. Bones splinter and can perforate the intestinal wall and cause infections.
Finally, the most recently discovered dangerous dog foods are products sweetened with xylitol, an artificial sweetener. It's a common ingredient in sugarless gums and candies. If a dog eats a whole package of such sugarless foods, it can suffer a sudden drop in blood sugar resulting in depression, loss of coordination and seizures. In that event, seek veterinary treatment immediately.
We all love our dogs. But let's not love them to death.
XSend questions and comments to Dr. Scott Shalaway, R.D. 5, Cameron, W.Va. 26033 or via e-mail to sshalaway@aol.com.