I’ll never forget the night Bella (or Bells as we call her... sometimes Ring-a-Ding when she’s being especially silly) got into trouble. One minute she was curled up next to me on the couch, and the next I realized she had eaten a few grapes that had fallen on the floor by my nephew. And not just the little one but the big monstrous hob-goblin grapes; my heart sank. I’ve heard grapes are bad for dogs but my google search scared the daylights out of me.
It was already evening, and most veterinary hospitals were closed. I knew I couldn’t wait until morning, but I also hoped to avoid the stress and high costs of an emergency room visit. Thankfully, The Animal Doctors of Buena Park was open until 8 PM, and they were able to see us right away.
That evening reminded me just how lucky I am that my regular vet has extended hours.
The Scary Truth About Grapes
At first, Bella seemed fine. She wagged her tail and looked at me like nothing had happened… she didn’t appear to look guilty! But I just had a major gut feeling something bad could come of this. Grapes and raisins are highly toxic to dogs, and the scary part is that we still don’t know exactly why.
Recent studies suggest that tartaric acid might be to blame, but even small amounts of grapes can trigger acute kidney injury (AKI) in some dogs. What’s especially tricky is that no two dogs respond the same way, one dog might eat several grapes and show no signs, while another can develop life-threatening kidney failure from just a few. And Bells is my life she is the reason I get up in the morning and go to work, so that she can have a better life than when I found her at the shelter.
AKI symptoms can include vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, or increased drinking and urination. Left untreated, this can quickly progress to kidney failure.
That’s why acting early matters so much.
Acting Fast, and Being Proactive
Because Buena Park was still open, we were able to get Bella in immediately. The team checked her vitals, ran baseline bloodwork so we know where her kidney levels started made my poor girl vomit to get the grapes out (they found 4 chewed up grapes…. 4 possibly deadly grapes), and started IV fluids to help flush out her kidneys.
Since The Animal Doctors of Buena Park doesn’t hospitalize patients overnight, we took her home for rest and brought her back the next morning for continued fluids and monitoring. Thankfully, her lab results stayed stable, and she never developed kidney issues.
If I had waited until the next day or needed to go through a busy ER, we might not have caught things in time.
Why Extended Hours Make a Difference
The Animal Doctors of Buena Park’s extended hours gave me , and Bella, peace of mind when it mattered most. Emergencies don’t wait for “regular business hours,” and having a trusted team like Dr. LeClair, and Ana (to name a few) available late into the evening makes all the difference.
Extended hours mean:
- You can act fast instead of waiting overnight
- You can often avoid costly ER visits
- Your pet gets personalized, compassionate care from a team that already knows your fur-babies
A Lesson for Pet Parents Everywhere
Even though Bella made a full recovery, it was a powerful reminder that being proactive is always better than being reactive.
If your pet eats something they shouldn’t: grapes, raisins, chocolate, or anything questionable… don’t wait for symptoms. Contact your veterinarian right away.
And if you’re local to Orange County, remember that The Animal Doctors of Buena Park is open late, until 8 PM, to be there for you when life happens after hours.
Bells is back to her happy, wagging, healthy self and I’m endlessly grateful that I had a caring team ready when we needed them most. ?
