Hops and dogs
 

I really want to try growing hops in my back yard but i just read on the midwest FAQ's that hops and dogs don't mix. i could pluck lower flowers so the dogs (they're small) can't reach them. anyone have input on this issue?

First, only a few breeds have a reaction to hops. Secondly, do your dog graze like cattle on the weeds or flowers in your garden? There are far more plants that are toxic to dog than plants that are safe for dogs but luckily Mother Nature built in instincts for animals. I don't worry about growing hops any more than I worry about growing Daisies.

Now, if you had hops in a pile of spent grains they would probably eat them because they are used to eating grains in their food so I would be careful about that.

You could always put some chicken wire around the bottoms of the plants.

I read about this earlier. I had been putting my spent grain on the side of the house and my Lab loves it, but not so much on the way out. I have been putting the spent grains/hops in the trash now.

I will be growing hops this spring but am not worried as she does eat leaves and other brush around the yard, but she does like tomatoes.

I honestly wound nt try it, but if you do, chicken wire around it

Mandatory hops will not hurt your dogs entry:

Based on the National Poison Control Center, the veterinary college at Ohio State and the combined Oregon State University High Alpha Acid breeding program and their Vet college.

Malignant Hyperthermia is a genetic disease.

Just what heck are you trying to say here???

Malignant Hyperthermia is a pharmacogenetic disorder where a triggering agent (hops) and a genetic predisposition (which nearly all dogs have) is needed to bring on symptoms. Many dog breeds are hyperthermic (an elevated blood temp) without even having MH - greyhounds come to mind. Hops can make them acutely Hyperthermic and trigger a Malignant episode.

My wife is an emergency vet and has treated dogs that have ingested hops. The smaller dog died, the other survived (both from same household that got into a pound of hops pellets).

The drug prescribed to immediately treat MH is Dantrolene - it is used in human medicine to treat the same symptoms (usually as a result of certain anesthesia). Most vets won't have it on hand and its the only thing that can treat MH.

Hops are most definitely dangerous to dogs - that includes spent hops, and it only takes a couple ounces.

here is a link

Hops induced Malignant Hyperthermia in Dogs

Hops and dogs don't mix, huh?

That's too bad. I'm gonna miss the dog. ;)

I will agree with most of your statement, but will disagree with the statement that all dogs are predisposed to MH. Yes, several breeds ARE predisposed, including sighthounds (Afghan, greyhound, whippet, etc.).

From the VERY limited research on the subject (one article in JAVMA in 1997) and VERY small number of reported cases (under 20, I have personally only found about 7 confirmed reports)it appears to be dose dependent, sporadic, and in most cases anecdotal.

In a nutshell, do not dump a pound of hops on the ground for your dog to eat, but dont sweat the small stuff either, and just wrap your plant with some chicken wire.