Staci wrote:
>This comes FROM the seed as the name states. The toxins from grapes
>and raisins come from the skin.
>
>Grape seed oil will not cause the same effects as Grapes and Raisins.
>
> <http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/ask-the-expert/ask-the-expert-poison-control/grapeseed-oil.html>

That ASPCA APCC little piece is interesting about grapeseed.

The last I read, the location and the cause of the kidney failures
caused by grapes, raisins and currants still remain unknown, so it
can not be assumed to be from the skins. Unless there is a brand new
investigation not even listed yet in PubMed then
<http://veterinaryrecord.bvapublications.com/cgi/content/full/164/14/430?view=long&pmid=19346542>
[Subscription required]
is the most recent to actually look closely at this problem.

If there is bleeding, as there was in these cases, then grapeseed could
be counter indicated. See:

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/132/12/3592

which is
>J Nutr. 2002 Dec;132(12):3592-8.
>Grape seed and grape skin extracts elicit a greater antiplatelet
>effect when used in combination than when used individually in dogs
>and humans.
>Shanmuganayagam D, Beahm MR, Osman HE, Krueger CG, Reed JD, Folts JD.
>Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin,
>Madison 53792, USA.
>Grape products, rich in polyphenolics, inhibit platelet aggregation
>(PA), a risk factor for coronary artery disease. We postulated that
>combining extracts of grape seed (GSD) and grape skin (GSK), primary
>sources of grape polyphenolics, individually shown to inhibit PA,
>might enhance their individual antiplatelet effects. This hypothesis
>was examined in vitro (human platelets) and ex vivo (dog platelets) by
>studying the effects of the extracts on collagen-induced whole blood
>PA. In vitro, threshold concentration of only GSD, individually
>incubated with blood, significantly inhibited PA; PA was inhibited by
>12.7 +/- 3.5% (P < or = 0.01). No significant changes in Pa were
>observed with threshold concentrations of GSK, used individually. In
>two dose combinations, GSD and GSK inhibited PA 40.5 +/- 10.1% (P < or
>= 0.005) and 96.5 +/- 3.1% (P < or 0.001). In the ex vivo study, seven
>dogs were fed threshold doses of GSD or GSK individually, in
>combination or in combination with a proprietary enzyme blend (EB;
>thought to enhance bioavailability) for 8 d. PA was measured before
>and after each treatment. PA measurements were also repeated 24 h
>after the final dose of GSD + GSK + EB. Feeding the extracts
>individually did not affect PA, whereas feeding them in combination
>inhibited PA by 31.9 +/- 7.1% (P < or = 0.05). Feeding EB in addition
>to GSD + GSK inhibited PA by 56.2 +/- 8.1% (P < or = 0.005); 24 h
>later, PA was still inhibited by 31.5 +/- 10.5% (P < or = 0.05),
>suggesting a residual antiplatelet effect from the administration of
>the final dose. The results suggest that the components of GSD and
>GSK, when present in combination as in red wine, grape juice or in a
>commercial preparation containing both extracts, exhibit a greater
>antiplatelet effect than when present individually.
>PMID: 12468593 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Thanks for the heads up on the ASPCA piece. It is very helpful.

I DO wonder if perhaps grapeseed might be useful for those ill
ferrets who are prone to throwing thromboses but who do not tolerate
anticoagulants, though I don't think that I would personally risk the
skins or fruit itself.

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)

[Posted in FML 6787]