WHY DO DOGS CHOMP ON GRASS AND THEN THROW UP?

This week's topic is about the mysteries of dogs eating grass but first I would like to send a special message to Carlo and Hugo. We hope you enjoy your new home in Dubai. With the very efficient help of Shelle Easton of PBS Freight International Pet Travel Specialists, 01293 606903, who worked tirelessly, despite all the holdups from the Dubai end, to make sure they got on their flight, we checked them into Virgin Airlines Cargo at terminal 4 Heathrow at 7.00 pm yesterday.  They were enticed into their sky kennels with tempting treats and then whisked off to Security in readiness for a 10.00 pm take off. The house feels empty without them but they need to be with their rightful owner who is looking forward to seeing them.  Wish that we could have kept them but ......... never mind, we will have many other wonderful dogs that will come to stay and each will be just as loved and given a good time with us.

We invited their best buddies, Alfie and Herbie Molloy for a sleep-over on Monday night and they played non stop on Tuesday until the moment they were put into their sky kennels. This meant they were pre-occupied and didnt have time to follow me around with soulful eyes! But they all knew that something was happening as they went very quiet.

Here is a lovely letter that says it for all of us. The Park will be a very quiet place without you.

 Dear Dawn
Alfie and Herbie have spent the last few hours composing the attached to be read to Carlo and Hugo…

Dear Friends
We are so sorry you are going so far away to live (also slightly jealous of your great adventure).   What we want to say is that walks in Regents Park will not be the same without you (although I look forward to not being the victim of your advances, Huggie: no offence but… Herbie) and we will miss you more than we can say.  We hope that the bones are fully up to speed  and would like to hear your views on camel as they look, from the time we have spent watching Laurence of Arabia on TV, as though the size of a bone from one of them would keep a family of Norfolk terriers in clover for about a week.
We hope very much that your airconditioned garden turns out to be large and luxurious and that everyone who meets you loves you as much as we do and that you make many new doggie friends swiftly.  Please send bulletins to Dawn and Richard (who will miss you even more than we do) and don’t forget your old friends in the Regent’s Park Posse.  We for our part will make sure that the beastly Akita gets the welcome it deserves if it returns from Monaco, and will do our best to keep everyone’s spirits up in your absence.
With love, good wishes, and the promise of a many-boned and biscuited reunion at some point in the future…
Your friends
Alfie and Herbie             

Why do dogs eat grass?

Are you worried when your dog or cat eats grass, then throws up afterwards? You'll probably feel relieved to know that pets eat grass because their bodies need it. Why does my dog eat grass? Is there something wrong with him? These are frequently asked questions and although there are several theories why dogs eat grass, veterinary experts agree that it's just normal canine behavior.


Dogs and cats have been eating grass for a long time. In fact, grass is so popular among dogs that one species, dog grass, is named after them. Dog grass is also known as couch grass, and it grows just about everywhere.


Think of grass as an herbal medicine. It acts as an internal cleanser, expelling excess mucus, bile, and other impurities. It also cleanses the bowels and expels worms. Cereal grasses contain enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Grass also contains chlorophyll, which was used for relieving pain, treating infections, ulcers, skin diseases, and anemia prior to the use of antibiotics. You didn't know that, did you?


Some pet owners grow grass specifically to give to their pets to prevent or treat diarrhea, anemia, cataracts, fleas, tumors excessive shedding, and other pet health problems. Pets that are fed grass on a regular basis are less likely to crave outdoor grass. So, if you don't feel comfortable with your pet eating the grass in your lawn, you may want to grow your own grass for them to eat. Pet shops usually sell small trays that need to be watered to make the grass grow. If you are lucky you might even be able to buy a miniature lawn mower!  Only kidding!
 

There are two schools of thought on this reasons why dogs eat grass. Some people say their dog isn’t feeling well when it chomps on grass but others say, its just their way of eating salad to cleanse their systems.  The reasons are not clearly known but both sick and healthy dogs will  indulge in grass-eating behaviour. Either way, it makes them throw up, usually all over the carpet.

As Marie Antoinette said: “Let them eat cake.” Well! eating grass does them no harm so let them eat grass when they feel like it. Chances are that you may never actually get a complete answer to this, and your pet’s grass-eating habits will remain one of life’s unexplained mysteries. Springtime is popular as that’s when the grass is young and tender and tastes sweet. I know because I've tried it out of curiousity.

Some people think dogs eat grass when they have an upset stomach. Since grass is not very digestible, many dogs do vomit after eating it, but this is not always the case. Some canine grazers show no sign of gastric distress before or after eating grass, while other dogs always vomit after munching on grass. Do those dogs eat grass because they already have an upset stomach and they want to vomit, or do they vomit simply because the grass upsets their stomachs? That's a question with no clear answer.

Another common explanation is that dogs eat grass to make up for a vitamin deficiency or a lack of roughage in their regular diet. It's unlikely that eating grass will actually add any essential nutrients to a dogs diet, and many healthy dogs who always eat a perfectly balanced diet also eat grass.

Most veterinarians agree that dogs eat grass simply because they like the taste, especially the tender young shoots in Spring. Eating grass is not a sign of illness. If, however, there are signs of ill health such as excessive vomiting, vomiting not associated with grass eating, loss of appetite, diarrhea, weight loss, lack of energy, or any other symptoms of illness - call your veterinarian.

Never allow dogs to eat grass that has been treated with fertilizer, weed killers or pesticides and don't let them eat grass where mushrooms might also be growing.

But... As long as your lawn is mushroom free and has not been treated with harmful chemicals, don't  be concerned if your dog occasionally munches on a few blades of grass. It really is common canine behavior.

And now for something cute and very high on the "Aaah" factor!

See you next week


...... and remember, handle every stressful situation like a dog. if you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away!

Dawn (."".)