My dog eats a lot of grass does that mean she's missing something in her diet?

Question

She eats dry dog food every day and we feed her very little table scraps. Every walk she stops and eats a mouthful of grass. I'm just curious if there might be something she's lacking or if this is natural for a dog to do.

Answer 1

Some say dogs eat grass simply because it tastes good. (This is one case where it would be wonderful if our pets could communicate. Then again, they might ask us what we see in hot salsa.) However, couch grass is so well loved by dogs that its botanical name is Agrospyron canina (canis is dog). Some people believe that dogs eat the grass to help cleanse their bowels and for removal of worms.

The "pets and grass" controversy aside, basic to all folk medicine in every culture since ancient times, herbology was the basis of all remedies. Many of our current-day pharmaceutical drugs are derivatives of plants.

For both people and pets it is believed that herbs can assist in the healing process by helping the body eliminate and detoxify, thereby going to the root of the problem (pardon the pun) and not simply treating the symptoms caused by it.

Herbal remedies have been used successfully to treat many illnesses in animals including intestinal worms, fleas, skin problems, mange, distemper, kidney and bladder trouble, arthritis, obesity and digestive problems, to name a few.

As we become more conscientious of the world around us, it is only natural that we also take our companion animals' health and well being into consideration. Caring for your pets naturally may very well be the wave of the future that requires a look at the past.

If you would like more information on herbal health remedies for your pets the two books mentioned below provide fascinating reading. However, no treatment should begin without the guidance of a qualified veterinarian. To find a veterinarian in your area with special interest in natural remedies it is best to contact your local or provincial veterinary association.

Answer 2

My 2yo maltese also does that sometimes. I suspect there may be some herbs growing in between the grass (birds or the wind may have transported the seeds) that animals know which one to eat. Dont quote me as am no expert on the matter. There's also an old lady nearby who regularly goes downstairs her block to pick at some grass/herbs...what she does with it I'm not sure but I suspect it could be some cure for some ailments. There's a lot of plants, bark etc that may be good for our internal (or external) use...TCM traditional chinese medicine that I'm not exactly into. Good that yr dog loves veggies...mine will only eat vegs if it is mashed and mixed with wet dogfood...otherwise he'll pick them out from the bowl and leave them lying around nearby! Let your dog eat the grass as long as there's no untoward consequences...after all cows do eat grass.

Answer 3

Not really. I feed premium dog foods and a dog I used to have was a regular grazer. If you are concerned about nutrition here's dog food 101. Don't fall for advertising, they all say there food is great. Read the ingredients list, learn what the stuff in there is and what it does. Quickie short lesson. Corn/corn products and by products are not in a really good quality pet food. Corn is just a filler and often triggers skin problems. By products can contain cancerous tissue. Some of the best brands out there include: California Natural, Solid Gold, Innova and Merrick.
BTW, eating grass does not mean they have a stomach upset, they just like it.

Answer 4

Why dogs eat grass
By April Holladay for USA TODAY
Q: Why do dogs eat grass?
A: I surfed the Internet to gather veterinarian opinion on this question and found that dogs eat grass for a variety of reasons.

"It's a normal part of their diet," says Holly Frisby, DVM, of Doctors Foster & Smith, Inc. in Wisconsin. Wild canine relatives of dogs—wolves and foxes—eat all their catch. They end up, therefore, eating grasses and plants in the intestines of these animals. Domestic dogs, eating prepared dog food, lack this roughage and so they eat grass.

"They just like it!" Frisby also says. She mentions a beagle that picks raspberries faster than his owner.

Another reason: dogs may eat grass when they have an upset stomach in order to cause vomiting. "The grass will bind with the offending material. Then the grass acts as an irritant and causes the dog to vomit, bringing up the poisonous material at the same time," says Celia Feiler, DVM, of Winston Veterinary Hospital in North Carolina.

Finally, dogs may appear to eat grass, says Feiler, when they are just running the blades through their mouth to gather information. Their sense of smell and taste may act together to detect if other animals have walked through their area or urinated on the grass.

And then there's the city dwelling dog — deprived of grass. For a mere $8 a three-ounce bottle, he can eat: Barley Dog, the "Original" Barley Grass Supplement for Dogs.

Further surfing

•PetEducation.com: Dogs eating grass

Answer 5

I have always heard that they were sick when they eat grass so I asked a vet once and he said that sometimes they do eat grass when they are sick and sometimes they are lacking in vitamins maybe the dry dog food doesn't agree with her system>>>>or<<< maybe she just likes the taste of grass

Answer 6

one of my 3 dogs eats grass just about daily. Not much just a little. He doesn't throw up and it goes through his digestive system. I was worried at first but now i see it has part of his way of eating. I think it helps him digest his food. The vet didn't voice any type of concern with it either.

Answer 7

Dogs eat grass some times if their stomach hurts, but some dogs do eat grass just to help them digest their food better.
my nextdoor neighbor has a dog that eats grass all the time probably because it helps her stomach digest her food better.

Answer 8

I have 2 dogs. One eats it and usually throws up soon afterward. the othe one eats it all the time. on walks, lounging in the backyard, etc. she is picky about the kind she eats, but clearly likes the taste. That dog coincidently, also like cabbage and many veggies too. I always just say that she is 'having her salad'. Just be sure to keep her clear of fertilizers and stuff like that. I do not fetilize my back yard ever to keep them safe.

Answer 9

Dogs eat grass when they don't feel well, or when they have a stomach ache. Sometimes this makes them throw up, but it is perfectly normal

Answer 10

I have seen our dog eat grass also and have heard that they are missing something in their diets. I asked my vet about it and he said that dogs use grass when their stomachs are upset. (Like we use antacids) Sometimes it will calm their stomach and sometimes it will make the throw-up. (Which will make them feel better.)