# Head shaking and midnight grass eating?



## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Actually, more like 4 am grass eating. 

Ranger did the weirdest thing this morning. He jumped off the bed and started shaking his head in earnest then kept running to the bedroom door and back to me, then back to the door. He did this about 3 times before I realized he wanted out. (In excuse for my slowness, it was 4 am and Ranger's usual "let me out" tactic is to just go lay down by the door silently and hope I notice). 

Anyway, once I realized he was actually ASKING to go outside - a first - I shot out of bed and ran downstairs to let him out. He kept shaking his head the whole way downstairs and once out the door. I followed him out to see if he was going to throw-up or get the runs, and all I could hear was him eating grass. I got closer to make sure that's what it was and sure enough, he was mowing down grass like a starved goat. He seemed pretty distressed and kept shaking his head...then calmed down, walked over to a tree, peed a little and came inside. No vomiting, no diarrhea, nothing. I checked his breathing, abdomen, and gums and he was fine. Head shaking stopped. 

My only idea is that maybe his ear(s) got plugged? You know when you're on a plane and your ears need to pop as they adjust to the altitude? I wonder if he yawned and one of them didn't pop? That would explain the head shaking and maybe he was eating grass thinking if he chewed/swallowed the ear would pop (well, probably not thinking that rationally but you know what i mean). I always have to chew gum on take-off/landings otherwise my ears hurt so much from the pressure I almost cry. Feels like my head is going to explode.

So...am I out to lunch thinking that's what it could have been? We went back upstairs, no more head shaking, and fell asleep. Ranger's perfectly normal now and seems no worse for wear. Any ideas would be welcome!

Also, I thought dogs were supposed to stop getting hiccups as they get older. Ranger seems to get them more now than he did at 9 months (he's 2). Every morning when I drink my coffee and surf this forum he gets the hiccups...like right now.


----------



## firedancer722 (Apr 12, 2010)

Interesting! I think your hypothesis sounds very logical! My first thought when I was reading was that he had a tummy ache and needed to throw up. But I think with what actually happened, the ear thing does make sense. Glad he's okay!  And I have no idea about hiccups.. Charlie still gets them sometimes, but not on a regular basis or anything.


----------



## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

My first thought was that he was to throw up, too - the last time he had grass with that much intensity, he did throw up right afterwards. This was just so weird...


----------



## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Maybe he did feel sick to his stomach and the grass made him feel better. But I do like the ear thing too. That does make sense too.


----------



## Katie and Paddy's Mum (Mar 31, 2010)

Hmm, that is really bizarre isn't it? I mean, my first thought was definitely either upset stomach or diarhea. 
Was there a fly or bug in the room possibly that kept buzzing in his ear and driving him crazy? Otherwise I would definitely say your theory about his ear being plugged up makes sense. 

Now the grass eating. Maybe that was from stress and it was just what he did to help relax himself. You know a midnight (or 4AM) snack while he was out there. But with him attacking it ravenously like that, I am more inclined to think it was a stress response.

But I am genuinely stumped. 

As for the hiccups, not sure. I know puppies get them when they eat too fast or get too excited. 

Anyhow, glad everything went back to normal once you finally got back to bed! 

Kim


----------



## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

I think a bug flew in his ear  buzzzzzz


----------



## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

This is probably way out there... but do you think he just woke up from a dream and was still slightly out of it? Possibly reliving the dream?

I know people can do that sometimes.


----------



## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I like the dream and the bug suggestions. I'm glad he got right back to normal, though.

Gotta wonder what goes through their minds....if anything! :doh::bowl:


----------



## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

My first thought was dream too. Glad he's OK, whatever it was.


----------



## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

janine said:


> I think a bug flew in his ear  buzzzzzz



That was my first thought!!


----------



## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

I think he's got fish heads in his head


----------



## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Hahaha, good suggestions! Either way, he's completely back to normal. It was just so weird...which is why I followed him outside to see what he was doing. There was a lot more chomping happening with the grass than normal. Usually, even when he's eating it to throw up, he's pretty quiet and keeps his head down. This morning, he'd rip a tuft of grass, lift his head up, chew, swallow, wait a few seconds and then dive in again. Even eating grass he was doing periodic head shaking, but never tried to scratch an ear or his face or anything.

Not sure about the dream thing as he was awake in bed shaking his head for awhile. He woke me up and I kinda dozed off again until he started doing laps from the door to the top of the bed - again, very bizarre, un-Ranger like behaviour. Oh well, I guess we'll never know what his deal was!


----------



## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

Jo Ellen said:


> I think he's got fish heads in his head


Funny....:


----------



## Katie and Paddy's Mum (Mar 31, 2010)

Jo Ellen said:


> I think he's got fish heads in his head


mmmm....mackerel! yum


----------



## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

I've seen this. Gilmour has done it twice. Whenever he starts shaking his head (and banging it on the floor) I know what it is right away.

He has bitten down on a stick, and managed to wedge the middle section he bit out between his upper gums.

Both times it was so wedged up in there, I had to break the stick to get it out. And we're talking a 3/8" to 1/2" stick here.





Ranger said:


> Actually, more like 4 am grass eating.
> 
> Ranger did the weirdest thing this morning. He jumped off the bed and started shaking his head in earnest then kept running to the bedroom door and back to me, then back to the door. He did this about 3 times before I realized he wanted out. (In excuse for my slowness, it was 4 am and Ranger's usual "let me out" tactic is to just go lay down by the door silently and hope I notice).
> 
> ...


----------



## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Holy crap! If Ranger ever does it after chewing on a stick I'll know what to look for...that's crazy.


----------



## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

I don't know about the grass eating. Honey sometimes ibbles on grass. and the ear thing--it could be he just had a "deep itch". Occasionlly I will get an itch down in my ear and I know I am not suppose to, but I will get a q-tip and kinda rub around where it itches and it stops. Perhaps he also had an ear itch.


----------



## lucysmum (Sep 2, 2010)

Glad to hear Ranger has no more head shaking and grass eating. Maybe he just had a flash back to his knife eating ordeal.

Anyway glad he is back to normal.


----------

