http://www.care2.com/greenliving/dogs-eating-grass.html
Dogs Eating Grass
One of my family dogs likes to sneak in a few chomps of grass every now and then, and I was never sure why. More importantly, perhaps, I always wondered if it was OK. I figured that his dog instinct was telling him “grass, yum, must eat,” so it was probably all right. But just to make sure, I decided to look into it a little further.
My first question was one that I have seen debated on these pages frequently: Are dogs carnivorous or omnivorous? The Encyclopedia Britannica states that dogs are indeed omnivores, but there seems to be plenty of debate about this. (I’d love to hear your insights about this in the comments field.)
Arden Moore, author of The Dog Behavior Answer Book (Storey, 2006), also states that dogs are omnivores, and that they like a little variety on their diet and know the value of adding some greens to the menu. Hello, grass.
Moore says that while some dogs eat grass and throw up afterward, some frequently do it and don’t throw up. They may simply like the taste and feel the need to add some roughage to their meals. This pertains more to those dogs that actually chew and swallow the grass blades thoroughly.
Grass can also act as a healthful aid for dogs with upset stomachs who need to purge their systems. In that case, you might notice that they seem to almost gobble the grass without really chewing the blades. The prickly little stalks irritate their stomach linings and cause them to vomit. If this occurs only occasionally, let nature take its course. But if your dog is vomiting daily and not eating well, please consult your veterinarian. There may be an underlying medical reason behind this behavior.
Grass is fine for dogs when it is free of pesticides, lawn chemical, or other harmful substances.
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47 comments
add your comment »When your dog eats grass it's an indication that their stomach is bothering them. My sweet rescued Rottweiler Nikita ate grass constantly, even in the winter she would search out what few blades she could find and eat them and she never threw up after. During her checkups, she always tested out as perfectly healthy. When I asked the vet about her grass eating, he joked, "don't worry, she's healthy as a horse". When we finally discovered her cancer of the spleen it was far advanced and had metastasized and spread throughout her body. Her only sign that anything was wrong was her grass eating and it wasn't taken seriously until too late. Vegetables are good for your dog, but if he or she seems a little too interested in eating grass, make sure your vet digs a little deeper into the cause. I miss my beautiful Nikita every day and live with the regret that we didn't catch her illness in time.
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I was brought up by my grandparents and we had dogs. My grandmother always gave the dogs whatever we were having for our meals, with the exception of chips. She used to cut everything up and they even had gravy. Our dogs were always perfectly healthy and loved their food, Sunday roast being a favourite!
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My dog eats grass sometimes then throws up. He begs at the refrigerator for carrots too.
Please be very careful what fruits and vegetables you give your dogs. Some can kill them. Onions, grapes to name just a few. Ask you Vet first. Also, lots of plants are very poisonous too.
Great article. Thanks.
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My Shih Tzu eats grass for her tummy and it works for her. I also grow a small pan of grass in the winter for her too. Upset tummy's do not only occur in the summer :).
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My dogs also eat grass frequenly, especially when they feel sick, after that they may vomit and become fine. This is a natural behavior. I thind they know that grass can cure.
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Both my dogs eat grass on a regular basis. Sometimes it is to purge, but most often it appears to be because they like it. They seem particular on which type of grass they will eat.
My Catahoula loves to pick wild raspberries off the brambles and actually goes looking for them. My Rottweiler is a blueberry and apple fan. Both my dogs love broccoli, snow peas, carrots, pears and bananas as well.
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All 3 of my dogs like to munch on plants and trees. I found my Chihuahua eating an acorn the other day. I don't use any chemicals in my yard so I don't see any harm in them grazing if they want to.
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Both my dogs not only eat grass but leaves off trees and bushes. They especially like the leaves off hackberry trees, they will stand up on their hind legs and stretch to reach the leaves. I have to make sure I don't plant anything poisonous and don't use pesticides or fertilizer in the yard. Their favorite treat from me is raw carrots.
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All of the dogs that I've had, in my lifetime, have eaten grass. They've also been fruit & veggie lovers. My last dog, Reba (who passed recently from cancer @ 12yrs of age) even had her own planter of grass to munch on!
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My dog loves grass, always eating it on walks; he never throws it up. He also absolutely ADORES tomatoes. Some of my cats (all indoor exclusively) have a thing for greens, especially one of them, who goes all wild-eyed over turnip and mustard greens; he usually throws up later; I have to restrict his mustard greens in particular or they will give him runny poop.
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