Eating grass and vomiting.

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi Kevin...thanks so much for your question. I'm very sorry about the delay. It was around midnight in my timezone when you posted and I was sleeping!

I think what we need to figure out is whether the issue is with the cough or with a stomach problem. This is a case where I really wish that I could examine him to give you more information. However, I can give you my thoughts.

If he is developing more of a cough it could be that he has picked up a viral cough such as kennel cough. Dogs who have kennel cough often sound like there is something stuck in the throat and they are trying to get it out. It can cause some stomach upset as well. If you think this is the case, most dogs get over it on their own within 3-14 days. I recommend seeing the vet if you are seeing a green nasal discharge or if his appetite is being affected or if the cough is really severe.

However, it is also possible that this is a stomach problem. Given that he has a history of eating socks, I would be concerned about a partial obstruction in his stomach. It's possible there is a sock in there that occasionally covers over the outflow to the intestines and causes vomiting. If this is the case, the real concern is if it moves into the intestines in which case he will be really sick and possibly need surgery. However, this shouldn't really cause a cough.


If the cough is a soft cough (as opposed to the 'something stuck in his throat' cough) then I am more concerned about an issue in his chest. If he is not on regular heartworm prevention it is possible that he has heartworm. This is treatable but can be quite expensive to treat. Another possibility is a fungal infection in his chest. Both of these can cause lethargy and vomiting.

And finally, it's possible that this is just a simple gastritis/enteritis meaning that he has a mild upset stomach/intestines. If this is the case I would expect some diarrhea. It also shouldn't cause coughing though. If it is enteritis most dogs recover within 24-48 hours. If you are noticing diarrhea you can consider fasting him for 24 hours and follow that with chicken and rice for a few days (which is bland for his intestines).

However, if the coughing is still present I am more concerned that this could be something serious and a vet visit would be a very good idea.

I hope he does ok! Let me know if you have more concerns!

Dr. Marie.

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