Dog Community

Posted : 2/20/2007 4:27:35 PM

ORIGINAL: myorganicpets

. Grape skins, as well as the seeds and stems contain organic compounds called tannins. Tannins can be extremely toxic to dogs and even some people. Tannins are what make apple seeds, some woods and grains such as hops toxic to dogs. They are bitter tasting and make your mouth dry. They are found in all tea, beer and wine. Tannins are also present in alot of different seeds which is why most have to be soaked or sprouted before using to rid the seed of the tannins or reduced by using Polyclar which electrostatically attracts tannins in beer, wine or cider. As it settles to the bottom of the fermenter.
Tannin toxicity is known to cause liver failure in dogs. It is known that pet food manufactures add tannins to their foods to prevent diarreah in dogs because tannins are known as drying agents. Tannins are what they use to cure leather.

Apple seeds are NOT dangerous because of tannins. Apple seeds contain cyanide compounds which in sufficient quantities can be dangerous to anything.

"Tannin toxicity is known to cause liver failure in dogs" -- Where does this come from?

rwbeagles

Posted : 2/20/2007 4:37:17 PM

[linkhttp://www.armagh-rhodesianridgebacks.net/maeve_grapes.htm]http://www.armagh-rhodesianridgebacks.net/maeve_grapes.htm[/link]

I see no paranoia...only information. If your dog were the one that were dead I am sure you'd feel differently. Especially if you were the one giving the dogs grapes. With SO MANY other options that are risk free, I see no reason to even bother taking a risk with my animals.

Santino Rizzo

Posted : 2/20/2007 5:09:08 PM

ORIGINAL: rwbeagles

[linkhttp://www.armagh-rhodesianridgebacks.net/maeve_grapes.htm]http://www.armagh-rhodesianridgebacks.net/maeve_grapes.htm[/link]

I see no paranoia...only information. If your dog were the one that were dead I am sure you'd feel differently. Especially if you were the one giving the dogs grapes. With SO MANY other options that are risk free, I see no reason to even bother taking a risk with my animals.

You're citing a story from 6 years ago about one dog who was "pigging out on grapes" that is hardly evidence that grapes kill dogs. If anything, including humans, was consistently consuming large amounts of grapes they would have tannin poisoning. Just like if anything were to consume large amounts of water would have water poisoning. Should we not give water to our dogs? My point is that the ASPCA (and people on forums) should be more responsible in how they report "poisons" without scientific and/or statistical evidence.

TAOofGoldyShep

Posted : 2/20/2007 5:09:09 PM

ORIGINAL: lazlowe1
...but grape seed oild is in a lot of foods, and supplements for dogs. What is the difference, and is it a bad ingredient?

Grapeseed oil/extract is a natural SUPER-antioxidant, as well as, having anti-inflammatory properties.

Grapes, like chocolate, may indeed be highly toxic to certain dogs. The reason for me posting the ASPCA article link was to show folks, who are interested in grapeseed extract, that on the first page it states "no toxicity" in the seed. FYI: It wasn't at all to fuel the grapes/raisins are toxic brigade, lol. [

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chelsea_b

Posted : 2/21/2007 11:42:08 AM

The tannins thing scares me. I use strong black tea on Cherokee's feet to help with the itching, and healing when she's torn them apart. She ALWAYS spends ten minutes licking her feet after I let her go. There's not very much tea left on her feet after I blot them, but if it's a build-up effect?? Any more information on this?

Santino Rizzo

Posted : 2/21/2007 11:58:45 AM

ORIGINAL: chelsea_b

The tannins thing scares me. I use strong black tea on Cherokee's feet to help with the itching, and healing when she's torn them apart. She ALWAYS spends ten minutes licking her feet after I let her go. There's not very much tea left on her feet after I blot them, but if it's a build-up effect?? Any more information on this?

Tannins have been shown to block the absorption of nutrients in some ruminant animals (herbivores) and in very excessive quantites (>5% of diet), they can block mineral absorption in any animal including humans. Dogs are not ruminants, and a little tea is not an excessive amount of tannin. A dog would get more tannins from chewing on a stick than from drinking some tea :-)

Lynn

Posted : 2/21/2007 12:37:54 PM

Gina,

Awhile back my dog had "seizures" several times over 3 days- which my vet called "tremors" simply b/c he didn't actually pass out. She said it could have been a petit seizure ------but she really thought what had happened was he might have gotten ahold of a walnut shell on one of our walks. She said what I described sounded like walnut poisioning. So, your dogs were lucky.

Don't know --- maybe it was the tannins that caused it if it was a walnut hull he picked up? Hasn't happened again. Whew about that. It was freaky.

Grape Seed Oil, Is it dangerous?