# Eating grass and them throwing up



## Hadley'sMom (Dec 26, 2011)

My dog ocasionally eats grass and then throws up. I grew up with yard dogs and remember the oldtimers saying that dogs eat grass when they need to purge themselves. My vet laughed out loud when I told her this. She said dogs weren't smart enough to know this and advised me to not let my dog eat grass. 
I've been trying to transition my dog into raw feeding and have had some problems. A few days during this time, my dog insisted on going out just to eat grass! I let him and then he threw up and that seemed to to be what he wanted. 
Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Do your dogs want to eat grass?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Many dogs do this. I think sometimes they do it to soothe their tummies by the grass inducing vomiting. Other times I think dogs eat grass because they like the taste.


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## Huginn (Nov 21, 2011)

I don't think it was appropriate for your vet to laugh at you. Even if it was something laughable, that is just bad customer service. Also, smarts and instinct are different things. When I am tired I crave things with lots of carbs, does that mean that I know that carbs give you energy? Well, I do now, but when I was a kid I didn't, yet I still craved fruit or juice when I was tired or even bread. The body (human or canine) knows what it needs, whether or not the brain understands that. 
There are a variety of reason's that your dog could be eating grass, it isn't fair to rule out the reason of possibly inducing vomit.


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## kady05 (Jul 29, 2011)

Wilson is my "cow" dog. He will obsessively eat grass if I let him, usually only when it's longer grass (so I keep my yard cut short), and if he gets too much, he throws up everywhere. Haven't ever found a real reason for it.. he's perfectly healthy. I think it's more of an OCD thing for him. It's certainly an annoying habit, that's for sure!


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Both my dog and my cat eat grass now and then. I just let them, they know what they're doing. They will almost always throw up afterwards and then just go on with their day.
The only time I'd be concerned is if they just kept on eating grass and puking and puking, then I'd know something was wrong.


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## Mondo (Dec 20, 2011)

Tuffy (the black dog in my avatar) eats grass frequently. He likes certain long stems, more the quack variety, he doesn't mow the lawn .  He never pukes after eating grass though. Toby eats grass rarely, but also does not throw up.

Lonsdale figures it is something they need at times. And also suggested it might feel good on their gums. Making a possible link to periodontal disease. I was just reading his Work Wonders book last night.


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

My girls think they are cows. The mow on grass every single day, some days they puke other days they dont. I also believe it calms a tummy, aids in digestion or just tastes good  The seem to prefer the new sweet grass.


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## IslandPaws4Raw (Sep 7, 2011)

Mine chew on grass (read weeds, since I don't have grass yet) and it annoys me no end! I have no idea why they want to munch on it EVERY single day. They are now teaching the pup how to do it as well * SIGH*
Growing up I only ever had dogs that would eat it for an upset tummy to induce vomiting, so I left them to it. Now I have to keep an eye on Ari and Kai, so I don't have to clean up after them when they leave a nice gift inside. Maybe when my fence is finished and I can leave their butts OUTSIDE, they may just make themselves sick of it. One can hope.....


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