Dog eating grass question...

[Richard]

My understanding is a dog will eat grass to either calm an upset stomach or perhaps to cause said stomach to throw up. (my guess is the latter)

Here's my question with background first...

Last week, was out in fields walking 4 dogs, all on a leash. one of them got into what I THINK was some deer entrails and I got most of it out of her mouth. She might have eaten some of it.

Next day, took them out in the morning for them to do their business and for the ENTIRE walk, she was constantly trying to eat grass.

I called wife later to 'warn' her that Chloe hadn't gone to the bathroom in the morning and was eating grass. Unfortunately, wife was already gone from house, off to work and didn't take them out.

I left early that day since I presumed Chloe would not be feeling well (Marion said Chloe was laying in a corner, wimpering)

Get home, Chloe is as jumpy/yappy as ever. Oh...what do I see? There is some "blech" on the rug (sigh)

So, SOMEONE has been sick. Chloe? Otis? Hattie? Fanny? I don't know. My guess is Chloe. Not much in the pile of bile though.

Ok, so that's sort of what happened.

While I was walking them in the field and she was trying to be a moo-cow, eating all the grass she could, I couldn't help but wonder...

1. Is it better to LET her eat ALL the grass she wants and let what happens, happen?

2. Is it better to prevent her from eating ANY grass knowing that her sick stomach will bet better, but try to prevent her from tossing her cookies inside the house (which usually means on the carpet)

Thoughts??

I might add that although I STRONGLY prefer she doesn't barf inside the house, I have stronger feelings that want her to be healthy, even if that does mean eating grass and....

 

[Bird]

I don't know what's best, Richard, but I think all dogs eat a little grass now and then without being ill at all, and I always let them eat all they wanted.

 

[wushaw]

Mine will eat grass, leaves or whatever green stuff they feel the need to eat. There is nothing wrong with it.

 

[thatguy]

Our still eats grass all the time, but especially in the spring when it is green and I assume better tasting.. Grass is Ok with him.. deer dropping are the preferred snack food though.. I do try to limit that when i can..

Every now and then he will eat until he throws up, but luckily that doesnt happen very often..

BTW - whats the deal with vomit on the carpet... We have hardwood floors througout the house and the dog head straight for the great room rug every time.. LOL

Brian

 

[tallyho8]

I wouldn't try to stop a dog from eating grass. This is a natural curative instinct for them.

 

[mjfox6]

You aren't one of those people that fertilizes their grass with beer are you? That would also explain why the dog threw up!

 

[RonMar]

Cats do it too.

 

[rtdiggr]

Not sure why but my dogs eat grass after they run hard.

Shane

 

[SPIKER]

our puppy (6 months old and 52 lbs so maybe calling him a horse would be better) did that this AM too, he was happily out back and we had to take him to vet for last shot, and of coarse it wasn't even a mile from the house when he ralfed on the woman and my suv's floor AGAIN! I think we should have called him RALF instead of bear lol every time ya take him for a ride he spews worse than Mt St Hellene!



now I have to say that this week his brother, (called "WOLFIE") was stolen from my brothers house, he is all light grey (color of our pups paws) with similar markings in white as our BEAR is.
Stoled on the 18th of dec from Flickengerhill rd in WOOSTER ohio. by someone driving a white blazer. : no tag #s could be gotten as they took off with him. SO if anyone see a part lab part husky mix mostly all grey in color let me know

mark M

 

[Skyco]

It takes a real lowlife to steal a dog...to me dogs are all about love and companionship..to steal one...well that is just totally messed up.
I've lived in my house for almost 25 years and there is a patch of some kind of grass/weed in one spot that all my dogs have always liked to eat..must taste good I guess.
In googling "dogs eating grass" there is lots of info...if your dog does it a lot it might be an indication of a problem/nutritional deficiency...

 

[billbill1]

As long as the dogs are eating the grass and not smoking it, I would think it is normal. he he

 

[hwp]

our puppy (6 months old and 52 lbs so maybe calling him a horse would be better)

Our dogs eat grass all the time but I often try to limit how much of it they eat.

6 months old and only 52 pounds - that's a lap dog. Our little girl (1 1/2 years old) is 130 pounds and the big boy (9 1/2 years - very old for a Dane) is 200 pounds!

Sorry to hear about your loss. Hope you find him soon.

 

[thatguy]

You aren't one of those people that fertilizes their grass with beer are you? That would also explain why the dog threw up!

That was me asking about it, but I havent tried the 'recipe' out yet though..

Brian

 

[Tig]

That was me asking about it, but I havent tried the 'recipe' out yet though..

Brian

When you do try it, you may find that your dog hugs you and tells you he loves you before he throws up.

 

[RonMar]

our puppy it wasn't even a mile from the house when he ralfed on the woman and my suv's floor AGAIN! I think we should have called him RALF instead of bear lol every time ya take him for a ride he spews worse than Mt St Hellene!

When do you take him for rides? If it is only to go to the vet to get shots, then he quickly makes the association of the vehicle to the cold stainless table and needle stick. He gets stressed out thinking about what he knows is comming and he gets sick. I Had a Sheltie like that when I was growing up. All his early car rides were to the vet and he never got over it. We would get in the car and he would shake like a chiuwawa setting on a block of ice

I have made an effort with all dogs I have had since to make the vet rides a small precentage of their car time, and have not had a problem since. Take him for short rides to have some fun. Stop and get out and play with him before he gets sick, then go back home. A bit of this fun time and attention, then he will look forward to going for rides and forget that some of those rides will be to the vet.

Sorry to hear about Wolfie, Takes a real low-life to steal a dog from someones home. I hope he turns up. Was he chipped?

 

[N80]

I'm no vet but I'm pretty sure dogs and cats eat grass to aid in digestion. Kind of like we humans adding a little metamucil to the diet when needed, or for those with better eating habits just including plenty of green leafy vegetables and other natural fiber. They do often yak it up but I think that comes from overdoing it. In any case, if a cat or dog does not have a source for fiber they can get constipated, etc etc.

For cats that live indoors they even have little trays that grow grass for them to eat.

I know we have some vets here, so please let me know if I'm wrong.

 

[jfh28]

Our dogs will always eat a little grass. It's when they are eating a lot and doing as you say the cow imitation that tells me somethings in there that needs to come out. Might as well be sooner than later so I let them munch away. Since the ground is now covered with snow and ice they have taken to eating pine needles off the trees to accomplish the task.

Count your blessings if you only got a little pile....when our guys barf I have to clean it up with a shovel!

If it's an ongoing thing a vet visit may be in order.

Jack

 

[Jimbrown]

I have one dog that loves to eat hay right along with the horses. He and one horse just stand there and eat out of the same hay trough.

 

[The Baron]

My lab loves grass also, (along with alot of other things). I asked the vet about it and she said it is alright but if they eat alot of it at one time it is to soothe their stomach but it also makes them throw up. The solution is to let them eat a little but if they choose to keep eating I give them a Pepto Bismol tablet. Calms his stomach and I am not cleaning up anything. I have tried it a couple times and it works!!!!!

 

[WTA]

Mine eat grass all the time. And dead things, horse manure, living things, anything they can catch pretty much. We worm them regularly and don't worry about it. It's what they do. I can't decide if fresh jack rabbit or horse manure is better because they all eat so much of both. Manure is probably best in the spring when it's bright green for them I think.

One of my dogs ate a bag full of arsenic that the previous owner left here for rats right after we moved in. I didn't even know it was there. I called the vet and she told me to force him to drink salt water real fast. It worked. He threw up all over the place and didn't get sick. It was a flour sack size bag of arsenic too and he ate almost all of it. That dog either has an iron stomach or has 9 lives.