Dog suffers kidney failure after eating 500g bag of toxic sultanas

Arrow’s case highlights dangers of grapes, raisins and sultanas to dogs

A dog is still recovering from kidney failure weeks after he scoffed a 500g bag of sultanas.

Kate Pearson had bought the dried fruit to make a Christmas cake and inadvertently left the bag within reach of her naughty lurcher, Arrow – or Master Arrow as he is known to the hundreds of people who follow his Facebook page or see him compete in agility competitions.

Kate was aware sultanas, grapes and raisins are toxic for dogs, but a distracting phone call gave Arrow the opportunity to nab the fruit.

“I didn’t realise he’d taken them until he jumped off the sofa and was violently sick – there was no warning – and that’s when I saw the sultanas.

“We then realised that a shopping bag had been left in the laundry basket which he’d ripped open with his teeth. He’d eaten a whole 500g bag of sultanas. ”

Kate, who is a gymnastics instructor, had received a phone call while unpacking her shopping and left for work after the call, not realising that she’d left the sultanas within Arrow’s reach.

She knew she needed to get Arrow to a vet as soon as possible. Kate rushed him to her regular vet and he was later transferred to Vets Now in Chesterfield which provides emergency care for pets at night and on weekends.

His blood tests showed that he was dangerously ill – because the toxic fruit had been in his system for so long. The lurcher had to spend 10 days on a drip to flush out his system before he was allowed home.

Kate, who lives in Kirkby-In-Ashfield near Mansfield, said: “Arrow had regular blood tests and was attached to the drip all the time.

“Now he’s home we have to give him two litres of fluid every day. It’s hard work, but if we poach chicken he will drink the water because it tastes meaty. Six weeks on from him taking ill he still has to have small meals to help get extra fluid into him.”