Have you ever wondered and ask yourself why does my dog eat grass? This article will explain to you why this is happening.
Pica, a technical word for a disorder is described as eating things that are not food. Pica can be a sign that your beloved pet has a nutritional deficiency. It can also signify that your dog is bored. Don’t worry because eating grass is common for dogs. This type of pica will not cause big problems. The following are some reasons why dogs eat grass.
Stomach distress
One reason why a dog eats grass is due to stomach distress. They turn to grass to relieve their stomach troubles. If you noticed that your dog has been eating too much grass, you should bring them to visit the veterinarian and get advice on ways to treat it. Without proper treatment, it can possibly lead to more serious health conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or gastric flux.
Boredom
There are some circumstances that your pet is bored. They will tend to go to the backyard and play and eat grass to pass time. To prevent your dogs from feeling bored, make sure to give them some mental challenges and regular exercise. Give them enough toys to keep them entertained, but always remember to disinfect their toys regularly. Do check out this page for some tips on how to clean your dog toys thoroughly to prevent any bacteria from building up.
Tasty
Dogs love to eat foods. Another reason why they eat grass could be that they found it tasty. You may not know it, but dogs are considered as natural scavengers. They search for food almost anywhere.
Grazing
Grazing is another reason why dogs eat grass. They like to chew the grass and since there are no ill effects of eating grass, it shouldn’t affect much on their health. Some experts say that eating grass can be a sign of a nutritional deficiency. However, dogs with balanced diets may still eat grass. Hence, if this behavior persists for a long period of time, it is advisable to visit a veterinarian.
Instinctive behavior
It could be an instinctive behavior if the dog is eating grass. They might be trying to induce vomiting after swallowing something that makes them feel uncomfortable. Eating grass can be a form of relief to them. Also, wild dogs tend to eat vegetation, fruits, plants, and grass. Eating grass can be one of their natural behavior as well.
Self-curing
Although there may not be enough evidence that dogs eat grass for self-curing, it could actually be the reason why dogs tend to eat grass. For example, if they have an upset stomach, eating grass is their form of relief to induce vomiting. They can vomit out the food that makes them feel ill. Ingesting grass can trigger dogs to vomit because grass has a thin and long shape that tickles their throat and stomach lining.
Psychological condition
Some also believe that the reason behind dogs eating grass is due to a psychological condition. There are some instances when your dog gets stressed and suffer from anxiety. So, they turn to eating grass to combat their compulsive behavior. Just like humans, your beloved pet can also feel upset. They will turn to things that can make them feel comfortable. If you observe that your dog has anxiety, you can help them by boosting their exercise levels, desensitization therapy, improved companionship level, vet-approved herbal remedies, prescription medication, or non-traditional therapies.
Frequent grass eating can be a sign of a psychological condition, which is quite alarming. You should immediately consult the advice of a professional veterinarian to improve your dog’s condition.
Improving Digestion
Some also believe that dogs eat grass to improve their digestion. Grass provides fiber or roughage that might be missing on the diet of your dog. Like humans, dogs also have nutritional needs for their overall health. If their diet lacks fiber, they will not normally digest and excrete waste products. That’s why they eat grass to enhance their fiber intake and improve their stools to pass easily.
Gaining attention
If your beloved pet is bored, they will try to get your attention. Eating grass can be one of their ways to try to attract your attention. If you want to prevent them from eating grass, you should interact with them more. Make sure to give them regular exercise. You should provide your pet with enough love, care, and attention. You can offer them physical and mental exercise to reduce their boredom and anxiety.
Dogs enjoy the grass
Another obvious reason why dogs eat grass is that they simply enjoy the taste of the grass. However, you should be careful as frequent grass eating may induce vomiting.
Dietary imbalance
Pica or consumption of inedible foods can be caused by dietary imbalance. There’s a possibility for mineral deficiency if your dog eats grass. According to theories, dogs try to supplement their body with missing minerals, vitamins, and nutrients. Therefore, you must supply them with enough nutrients and minerals by feeding them with good and healthy dog foods. There are various options that you can choose from depending on the breed and appetite of your dogs. If your dog is a Dobermans, you may need to feed food that are essential to them as they require lots of quality salmon oil, protein fat, vitamin etc to support their giant build. These Dobermans healthy food are easily available and are good for your beloved dogs to stay healthy and strong.
Does Eating Grass Harmful for Dogs?
Professionals stated that eating grass doesn’t cause risks for your beloved dog. However, you must monitor them, especially if there’s a sudden increase in this behavior as it can mean there’s an underlying health condition. You should also check teething pets since ingesting grass, sticks, and leaves can cause a blockage. Take your dog to the vet in case you suspect it has an underlying health condition. It is better to act sooner than when it’s too late. Some vet visits, especially emergency ones, can be shockingly costly so have your dog insurance plan at hand, to feel more at peace that at least some of the expenses can be covered.
If you observe that they enjoy munching grass or houseplants, it is advisable to offer them with cooked vegetables or natural herbs. It will be a great alternative to reduce their grass-eating behavior. You should be responsible enough because your little best friend can accidentally ingest the herbicides, pesticides, and other chemicals that are at your yard.
Make sure that your dog is feeling comfortable. Eating grass with pesticides and other chemicals can bring potential harm to your dogs’ health. It can lead to illnesses such as diarrhea, lethargy, food poisoning, gastrointestinal tract, vomiting, weight loss, and more.
Other Possible Reasons Why Your Dog Eats Grass
Other reasons why your dog eats grass include the following:
- Fulfilling unmet nutritional need like fiber
- Treating intestinal worms
If you observe that your beloved pet is eating grass, don’t worry because it is not a serious problem. It can be a natural behavior of your dog. However, you must also be careful because they can digest grass with herbicides and other harmful chemicals that can affect their health.