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675347 tn?1365460645

Why do dogs eat grass?

OK this is the million dollar question. WHY?
Some people say it's because they want to make themselves vomit. But I have seen dogs happily eat grass without vomiting (or any nasty experiences from the opposite end)
Also it's suggested they do it because they need extra fibre. But if you are feeding them a perfectly balanced dog food with sufficient fibre, and also they get some vegetables with their meal, then can that be true?

It's not always sick dogs that do this. Many healthy ones do it too.
14 Responses
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9241507 tn?1402552633
Thanks.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
We have the same problem with our collie and its embarrassing" people might think you don't feed your pet lol
Helpful - 0
931246 tn?1297902651
well i think if we can eat some weird stuff then they can. Grass is normal to some of the things people eat
Helpful - 0
675347 tn?1365460645
COMMUNITY LEADER
You might have something there, AireScottie, my dog eats less or no grass when she gets some green things (like cabbage or peas) with her dinner. But I've noticed she will eat grass even if she gets carrots, so maybe it IS the chlorophyll she's after.

I tried eating grass to see what it tastes like. I got as far as two blades, and that was enough. It tastes ok, but I'd definitely rather have Lollo Rosso, or watercress! lol!
Helpful - 0
881165 tn?1265984588
My dogs eat grass on a regular basis.  I have a corner of the yard where the grass is long so they can graze.I find they eat less grass when I give them treats with chlorophyll in them (like the dental chews).  Those are also their favorite treats, better than real marrow or meat treats.  
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931246 tn?1297902651
haha lol yeah well he eats everything thing else that goes with it.
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306455 tn?1288862071
Perhaps sometimes they just want a salad. lol
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931246 tn?1297902651
My 5 month old puppy will eat grass before during and after his meal times  and if we are playing any games outside. I have noticed that he likes wet or damp grass the most. I always thought they ate grass to be sick but none of my 3 dogs have been sick after eating grass. My kitten also likes to eat grass i would like to find out why they do it.
Helpful - 0
441382 tn?1452810569
My collie GRAZES!  I swear!  When we go out walking, she will actually graze in the field behind us!  She never vomits, either, I think she thinks it's a giant salad bar!  LOL

Ghilly
Helpful - 0
535822 tn?1443976780
Yup I think whatever they do it for it is medicinal....interesting ....I just saw it in dogs that hadnt eaten their dinner or hadnt been fed, my dogs also threw up after eating grass so again if they were feeling Nauseus it was to make themsleves throw up....LOL if you get my drift..
Helpful - 0
675347 tn?1365460645
COMMUNITY LEADER
I have seen cats eat grass too.

The dog I had before always threw up after he ate grass. Like you said (margypops) he would eat it when it was getting close to mealtime, when his stomach was empty. Then he'd throw up just the grass and a little mucus. Yet because he was very healthy all of his life, I thought it was just his way of 'cleaning out his stomach', to get rid of that little bit of mucus. I never thought it might be because he felt nauseous because he was hungry. But it could have been.

The dog I have now eats it anytime, whether she is hungry or not. She doesn't throw up. She seems to eat it for fun, when she is playing frisbee in the field, she will snap up grass as she runs. Usually when the grass is wet. I often wonder if it's because she really needs to drink and the grass is refreshing. Yet if I gave her water at that time she wouldn't want it. There's more to it. She eats the grass because she wants the GRASS I think. Maybe it just tastes nice...? The way I like watercress??
Helpful - 0
535822 tn?1443976780
Just out of interest I noticed with my dogs I used to have also my neighbours dogs they ate the grass when they were hungry, not as a food but in my observation I thought it was if they felt some nausea like pregnancy before you ate.. Once the dog ate it felt okay, so check out when they do this if they have eaten yet...
Helpful - 0
685623 tn?1283481607
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Believe it or not, a study was recently done to try and answer this very question!   Behaviorists at UC Davis contacted close to a thousand pet owners, most of whom described grass or plant eating behavior in their dogs (cats are still being studied).   About 1600 surveys were deemed usable and 68% described that their dogs ate plants daily or weekly.

By comparing dogs that appeared sick prior to eating the grass and how many dogs vomited after eating grass, they concluded that in most cases, eating grass is a common behavior in normal dogs and has no correlation with illness.  Despite what we all seem to see, the study showed that most dogs also don't routinely vomit after eating grass.

One new hypothesis is that grass eating may aid in removing intestinal parasites from the gut of wild dogs and cats and our domesticated pets simply inherited the instinct.

The cat study is still ongoing...I imagine we will hear about it late this year.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Yes, the million dollar question.  My Chesapeake was eating grass a few weeks ago.   She ate so much grass in one day she regurgitated 2 piles over the next day-  each a  large hand-full of nothing but grass that looked like it had been intentionally wound into an oblong ball, (like a ball of yarn).  Weird.

She was simultaneously dragging her rear on the ground.  Figured out the anal glands needed to be "expressed" - several times that week to get it taken care of.  My conclusion is that dogs eat grass in order to get the turds solid enough to create a force when pooping so that the anal glands will be forced to release that stuff that is causing pain/pressure from accumulating in the glands.  

Apparently too much soft food/ not enough dry food and bones can cause the turds to be too soft (when pooping), so that there is no pressure on the anal glands when pooping to release that stuff.

That's my theory.  Also, good to give your dog some "green" food each day- as that might also be a factor.  I started giving my dogs Spirulina tablets- made by SpringtimeInc.com-  sold under the horse section- but for both horses and dogs.    
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