# Is eating Thunbergia going to hurt my dog?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-eating-thunbergia-going-to-hurt-my-dog/547368
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 20, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-eating-thunbergia-going-to-hurt-my-dog/547368 "2010-07-20T17:49:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-eating-thunbergia-going-to-hurt-my-dog/547368/1 "2010-07-20T17:49:45Z")
Hiya,
I have a new [Thunbergia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunbergia) currently living on my patio.
I noticed today that my dog nibbles on the new young leaves. Obviously, this isn’t great for the plant, but I’m wondering if it’s harmful for the dog?
FWIW, Thunbergia doesn’t show up in any of the ‘Poisonous for Dogs’ lists I’ve been able to find, and I do know that my grandmother (who was a dog breeder for many years) said that sometimes dogs will eat young green bits (grass, leaves) as it aids their digestion.
Obviously, I’m trying to limit the amount of chowing that my dog does because at the very least the plant was sort of expensive and I didn’t buy it for him to have as a snack; however, if he eats a leaf or two is it going to hurt him?
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### Author:  [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-eating-thunbergia-going-to-hurt-my-dog/547368/2 "2010-07-22T15:30:28Z")
I’m going to go ahead and bump this once, on the off chance a plant person missed it while it was up at the top.
Currently, despite eating around a half a dozen leaves my dog appears to be fine - I believe he’s sleeping. He _COULD_ be in a coma, but the snoring suggests sleeping to me.
So - if anyone has any input, I would welcome it; however for the time being he appears to be fine. Fluffy, but fine.
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### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-eating-thunbergia-going-to-hurt-my-dog/547368/3 "2010-07-22T15:40:35Z")
The entire country?
If he does, where are the Thunbergians going to live?
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### Author:  [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-eating-thunbergia-going-to-hurt-my-dog/547368/4 "2010-07-22T16:24:30Z")
If you google “thunbergia toxicity” you’ll see it depends on the species. As a general rule it’s best not to let them eat too much of a plant even if it’s not known to be extremely toxic.
Or you could grow him some dog grass and let him eat that.
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### Author:  [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2010, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-eating-thunbergia-going-to-hurt-my-dog/547368/5 "2010-07-23T07:49:48Z")
Not unless, after eating it, you then kick the dog.
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### Author:  [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-eating-thunbergia-going-to-hurt-my-dog/547368/6 "2010-07-23T15:43:42Z")
> [@Cugel](#):
>
> Not unless, after eating it, you then kick the dog.
…_slowly retracts booted foot from dog’s tummy region…_