If you notice that your dog is eating grass and regularly showing signs of stomach issues like retching, salivating, foul-smelling breath, licking lips, vomiting, or acting uncomfortable or restless, it’s best to have them evaluated by a veterinarian. Avoid letting them eat greenery in areas that you don’t know, especially in places likely treated with pesticides or fertilizers like parks and playgrounds. Always monitor what products you put on your grass to be sure they are safe for pets. Grasses are also often treated with pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers that can be harmful to your dog. Toxic plants and weeds like Narcissus (Daffodil) and English Ivy are hazardous. It’s also critical to prevent your dog from accessing and ingesting certain types of grass and plants. The environment is a common source for parasites, and gastrointestinal parasites and their eggs (such as intestinal worms like hookworms and roundworms) can live in and around the soil and grass that your dog may ingest. If your dog grazes on grass every once in a while, don’t worry about it (as long as you use year-round parasite prevention). In reality, vomiting occurs in a relatively small proportion of dogs who eat grass. One thought is that the grass blades physically stimulate the back of the throat or the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract to induce vomiting. It has been proposed that dogs eat grass to make themselves vomit. As pet owners, we must consider each dog’s individual needs and be on the lookout for behavior changes that could indicate a problem. Dogs, like their ancestors, are omnivores so seeking grass as a source of fiber might even be in their nature.Ĭould there be an emotional need that eating grass fulfills? It’s possible that dogs eat grass out of boredom or that this behavior may be calming for anxiety. Perhaps the taste and texture of fresh green grass are appealing to them. However, even dogs on well-balanced diets eat grass, so a nutritional deficit is unlikely. Sometimes when animals have a nutritional deficiency they seek and ingest non-food substances (such as dirt or fabric) this disorder is called pica. Some dogs may just simply like to graze on grass. The simplest answer is often the best answer. But it’s important to understand what may be behind your dog’s grass eating and whether it’s safe to let them consume grass. One very common ‘why’ that many dog owners ask is, “Why does my dog eat grass?” While there are many dogs that do it, the answer is not a simple one, and mostly speculation. Pet owners often wonder ‘why’ when it comes to their dogs and cats.
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