Don’t Give Dogs Gin-Soaked Raisins

Q. My 11-year-old dog suffers from severe hip dysplasia and arthritis. I read in your column that gin-soaked raisins relieve arthritis pain in people, so I decided to try it on my dog. I am giving him 6 raisins a day. Within two days he was able to walk and run without whining.
A. We are sorry to tell you that raisins are toxic for dogs, so you’ll have to stop this remedy right away. Raisins and grapes can lead to kidney failure in susceptible breeds (Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Sept-Oct 2005). The mechanism is still unclear, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.