Dog Community

eating grass when sick

dyan

Posted : 10/8/2009 8:20:42 PM

Gibby again....of course!

Gibby has been much much better...first episode of him not feeling well in a long time. I was at work all day and honestly after thinking about it....most of the time that he got sick in the past I was at work.....I have to just wonder how many times he was being a "bad boy" and eating something that he should not have...... DH is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good about knowing where he is and what he is doing at all times...NOT!

Today when I was just walking in the house after work, DH was taking him out saying "he is trying to throw up!" So he went out and ate grass...had a hard time getting him back in. Five seconds later.....he was scratching at the door again......took him out and all he did was eat grass. Kept doing this....walked him up the street trying to get his mind off of it.....as soon as he could he pulled over to the grass. I gave him some bread....knowing he HAD to eat something. He never did really vomit anything...never.....just tried desperately to eat grass. I gave him 2 Pepcids.....and a bit later fed him the meat that usually goes on his kibble...... about 10 min. later he scratched at the door to go out and eat grass. I know I shouldn't have...but fed him some kibble..which he was dying to eat..... a bit later gave him the rest. He never ever got sick...but for a while after he still tried to go out to eat grass. I did give him 2 more Pepcids after dinner. Now he is sleeping in a big ball....gets up once in a while but lays back down.....he must be feeling a little better as he hasn't asked to go out again.

Gibby has always done this grass thing when he gets sick...I used to try to pull him away until a lady told me that when they are sick they HAVE to eat something...if you don't let them eat grass some dogs will try to eat ANYTHING...including things like socks... toys.....just anything, so now I let him eat a little grass. But when this was going on, I talked to one of my vets....he said to not let him eat grass because it sometimes irritates the stomach. HE told me I could give him veggies...like brocolli...or something green......

I know a lot of dogs like to graze on grass....Ollie used to and then get sick. Bubby used to once in a while and never got sick. Gibby only does it when I know he is not feeling well, usually vomiting or it makes him vomit. Today he ate quite a bit of it in all the times he was out...but never vomited at all.

I just don' t know what to do for him when he gets like this. Thank God its less and less as he gets older.

calliecritturs

Posted : 10/8/2009 8:27:17 PM

Why don't you get him a barley grass sort of supplement? Just go to a health store and get him a good "barley green" type of supplement - he may need some chlorophyl type of thing and at least you'd know it didn't have fertilizer on it (and man, I wouldn't want him to eat a neighbor's grass -- who knows what they've sprayed on it)

dyan

Posted : 10/8/2009 9:27:35 PM

HHHmmmmmmm thanks Callie......you mean in some pill or granual form?

See.....I'm not thinking he is eating grass to eat grass as he only does this when he is having a sick episode. Wonder if something like that to give him if he isn't feeling well..

He was taking a nap and work up to get sick....DH got him out to finish...he never did vomit though....but he sure thought he was going to.

calliecritturs

Posted : 10/8/2009 11:49:14 PM

Yes, you can give it once a week as maintenance or when they aren't feeling good. Usually it comes in a liquid -- depends on what brand it is.

When his tummy is up set like that you should try chammomile tea -- just brew plain chamomile tea (use a couple of bags and let it steep a long time). Don't throw out the bags - empty them into his food -- it's good tasting and the herbs will help further.

Some dogs will drink the tea if you put a bit of meat broth or honey in it. Or you can just add it to his food. But it's good to settle their stomach.

dyan

Posted : 10/9/2009 7:01:05 AM

Great idea abut the Chamomile tea.....I forgot about that...remember buying some for Bubby on your suggestions a few years back. Gibby loves honey so I can get something going with that..............

However........................ he went thru the night without being sick but is not acting right...almost weird. I took him out to pee last night and he came in and sat by the door scratching to go back out...DH took him about 15 min. later and he pee'd again and that was it...didn't really try to eat anymore grass.... but we all went to bed and had to talk Gibby into it....he just stood in the living room looking at us..then instead of laying on his bed that is by the foot of our bed.....he tried to lay on DHs sweats that he had by is side on the floor. I pulled Gibbys bed up by my side and he layed down and went to sleep, where he slept all night. At about 6:30...he got up and tried to come into bed with me ( he does that on days I don't get up early for work...I let him ) and he layed next to me ( on top almost ) went to sleep until we got up at 7. He ate his normal breakfast and then went out and pee'd normal....then he took his morning dump as usual...but it started firm and quickly went to soft to almost water. Darn..............so now we have these issues again. Of course he had kibble for breakfast so THAT won't help matters...came in and got some chicken thighs out of the freezer to make for him for the rest of the day.

I know he doesn't look real well.....but he wanted to play last night before I took him out...was really bugging me with his toys....and he wants to eat......so I just don't know. Again..as far as I know he didn't get into anything he should not have eaten ( I am talking paper..or toys which he sometimes tries to chew up to get your attention ) but DH is not real good about knowing what he is doing at all times while I am at work.... not like me..if I don't see him by me I am looking for him.

Well..off to make some chamomile.

stardog85

Posted : 10/9/2009 8:56:06 AM

Um he's not trying to vomit and not bringing anything up is he?? That's a red flag for bloat! Same with just standing and not wanting to lie down.

When Maggie ate waaay too much dog food a few years back she was obsessive about eating grass and drinking water - the e-vet said to restrict water and further eating to reduce the risk of bloating/torsion and that she was eating stuff because she was nauseous. She's not done that since, but it was scary at the time.

dyan

Posted : 10/9/2009 9:16:24 AM

stardog85

Um he's not trying to vomit and not bringing anything up is he?? That's a red flag for bloat! Same with just standing and not wanting to lie down.

When Maggie ate waaay too much dog food a few years back she was obsessive about eating grass and drinking water - the e-vet said to restrict water and further eating to reduce the risk of bloating/torsion and that she was eating stuff because she was nauseous. She's not done that since, but it was scary at the time.

Stardog...I have a Great Dane...believe me there is nothing that doesn't scare me about bloat/torsion. But thanks for mentioning it to me....

However....he tried to vomit once and DH stopped him to run him outside ( about 3:30 PM ) ...he never tried after that.. he tried to eat grass. He wanted to eat ( normal for him to ALWAYS want to eat ) and he did not drink...which is also normal for him. In fact I add water to his kibble right before serving it to make sure he gets water.

He DID lay down and sleep the way he does normally most of last evening....after spending maybe a couple of hours trying to scratch at that door to go out to eat grass. But then he asked to go out two times in a row... before bed...and did not want to sleep where he usually does but did lay down to sleep the whole entire night. I was not sleeping at first...prepared to take him to ER had he not layed down to sleep....

Again...I never saw him try to vomit...he did it before I got home..never did it again....just wanted to eat grass.

An interesting thing...a poster on one of my Great Dane boards said that her Dane does this about once a month....starts eating grass and sometimes vomiting it up but usually not. She said he does it when there is a full moon. Hows THAT for interesting...I do believe there is a full moon out????

Callie....so I made him some Chamomile tea...added a little honey and put it in his dish..he like the little I gave him and I gave him a little more. Now he is calm and sleeping...DH said he can't believe he is not bugging him.

Wonder if its the chamomile or he just doesn't feel good.

stardog85

Posted : 10/9/2009 9:30:26 AM

I figured you'd be on top of that, but it never hurts to double check! :)

Interesting about the other Dane for sure - once a month could also be related to flea/tick drops or heartworm meds, too.

dyan

Posted : 10/9/2009 9:36:14 AM

stardog85

I figured you'd be on top of that, but it never hurts to double check! :)

Interesting about the other Dane for sure - once a month could also be related to flea/tick drops or heartworm meds, too.

Your absolutely correct...it NEVER hurts to double check..there are people that may not be aware...and worse..there are people that panic and just don't think. So again...thank you for mentioning it.

Yes,,,could be once a month flea or HW meds...but she must have noticed the moon....... and now knowing that this is the time of a full moon...I will pay attention to this.

calliecritturs

Posted : 10/9/2009 9:39:29 AM

Chamomile wil relax him and help him sleep, but he may not feel wonderful.

Chicken really isn't the best -- I know a lot of people think it's so preferable to red meat but in Chinese medicine it's the LAST thing you choose to feed because it can so typically cause inflammation.

dyan

Posted : 10/9/2009 1:47:29 PM

calliecritturs

Chamomile wil relax him and help him sleep, but he may not feel wonderful.

Chicken really isn't the best -- I know a lot of people think it's so preferable to red meat but in Chinese medicine it's the LAST thing you choose to feed because it can so typically cause inflammation.

He loves the chamomile with honey in it...wonder if he would like it without honey...will have to try it next time...can always add it. But i it relaxes him that is a good thing sometimes.....

I usually give him ground meat that has been cooked lately........but I have chicken in my freezer...and he loves it also..hopefully works okay for him as it used to before I started doing hte ground beef. I used to give Bubby ground pork and ground turkey....but it seems there were so many days that Gibby had problems....that I would blame it all on the food.....and consequently somewhere along the line decided no more pork...and no more turkey.......at least ground that I purchase just for him.....but watch out TOM on Thanksgiving!!!

dyan

Posted : 10/10/2009 8:38:40 AM

I just don't get Gibby...but happy to report that his stool is now back to normal...more firm than soft......and he hungry and eating although he is on bland for at least today... if this keeps up I will add kibble back tomorrow.

But he seems to be swallowing a lot...and hard... I think I will start a new thread on that because its something I have seen him do since he was a baby....and don't have a clue on why.

I keep thinking I want to take him to the vet but dont' really know what to say for sure. "oh he did this 2 days ago and then that, 1 day ago...and now he is not doing any of it anymore...etc etc etc" Like..............so what do you want me to do if he is okay now???"

I do want to get him in next week for his 1 yr rabies vaccine.....but I want to make sure he is okay before he gets vaccinated....on the other hand... I would like to take him to get checked out good. He had an anal glad issue a week ago...maybe they need to be expressed...wonder if that could cause problems.