Why Does My Dog Eat Grass?
More to the point, should my dog eat grass?
Well, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s perfectly okay to allow your dog to eat grass. I do want to strip away some of the myths concerning dogs eating grass, however. There is a very popular misconception that dogs eat grass in order to get more fibre or to balance their diet. Dogs are carnivores - they don’t eat grass to balance their diet, so if you’ve read that you should take note of their grass eating and add vegetables like brocolli to their food - don’t bother. They may well eat it (especially labradors; they eat anything) but certainly won’t gain anything from it. Remember that input = output…
You can’t be quizzical for dogs eating the grass in the first place really. They lay around on it a lot; it’s sweet-smelling; freely accessible; chewy and perfectly palatable. Why not just lean over and grab a bit? Most owner’s concern derives, however, from the fact that dogs often vomit after eating grass.
The stomach has a number of neuro-receptors that respond to what dogs ingest. They react to acidity, chemical content, and textures. The texture of the grass has I guess a tickle effect of sorts on the stomach, which may induce vomiting. The fact is, “why do dogs eat grass?”, is actually not scientifically known. However, we can get a pretty good idea based on what we do know… which is not what those people saying that dogs eat grass to “balance their diet” have done!
This ‘tummy tickle’ may well explain why healthy dogs can eat grass without vomiting. They take a mouthful, chew it thoroughly and swallow, then reach down for some more. Dogs who are unwell, however, appear almost desperate for grass. They don’t chew it carefully or savor the taste: they gobble it. Without the chewing, those prickly little stalks hit their stomachs all at once and it is this that may be what stimulates the urge to throw it all back up – along with whatever was irritating their stomachs in the first place. They can’t stick their fingers down their throats like people can, so eating grass is something that works. And once dogs find something that works, they tend to stick with it.
Dogs have been eating (and vomiting back up) grass for as long as we have records for them. It’s nothing to worry about unless you notice changes in your dogs behaviour or general demeanor (which, let’s face it, you would have noticed anyway). In this instance consult your veterinarian just to be on the safe side.
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Posted in Advice by admin
