Cure for eatting grass?

Question

So I know that dogs eatting grass usually - and most commonly - means some sort of digestive upset. We've tryed several foods, tryed adding probiotics. Nothing has really changed how much/how often she eats grass. Is this just something she's going to do? Should we try and anti-acid? If so, can dogs have anti-acids such as Maalox, just to see if that'd help, (we do give Maalox to our horses for the same reason, then, if it helps, we get the right kind)? Or do you need to get one specially formulated for dogs right off the bat? When we talked to the vet they just said "oh just try different foods and then come back." I'd prefer to find/try a more homeopathic/home remedy first than take her in and put her on prescription chemicals! Thanks for the help!

Answer 1

let the dog eat the grass, it's their natual way of settling their stomach, as for the maalox, yes dogs can have them, at one point our puppy was vommiting for no apparent reason, my cousin, a vet told us to cut up a maalox tablet and feed it to hem, but don't worry about the grass, it's very natural for them to eat it

Answer 2

Dogs just plain like grass - don't worry about it. Let her have some salad. Dogs are omnivores and enjoy a variety of foods. It does not mean she's got a digestive upset. Find a good food that she likes and digests well and stick to it. Don't switch constantly. Use a good food like Flint River Ranch, Innova, Canidae, etc. (a premium - not grocery or big box store brand). Feed small amounts of the new food when you switch over.

If she vomits up grass it's no big deal but if it bothers you, you might want to limit the amount of grass she has access to. Oh, and be sure she's not on grass that has any chemicals on it (pesticides or fertilizers).

Answer 3

Try Innova dog food. It's really, really good for your dog. But switching foods periodically WILL upset the lil girl's stomach, so put half the old food and half the new food together so to transfer her to new food slowly.

Also check around the grass. Is it one area she's eating from? Is there pesticide in the grass?

If nothing else there could be something wrong with her stomach or intestines that may be stuck like a stubborn hairball or something else bad that she got a hold of and clogging her up so she keeps trying to get sick. Take her to the vet if nothing else to make sure she holds food down and doesn't get dehydrated.

Good luck!

Answer 4

This is an instinctive thing to ease an upset stomach. I would not try to stop it cause the dog knows when he/she needs to clear up an irritated stomach. It is completely natural and nothing really needs to be done to stop it.

You can change the diet but do it gradually or the grass eating will continue. Your dog may have a gastrointestinal problem that may need a Vet to check out.

Answer 5

There is no "cure" for eating grass. It is a natural beneficial part of your dogs diet as an omnivore. Dogs do not only eat grass when they have an upset stomach that is a prevalent myth. Dogs eat grass because it is part of their natural diet.. grass is basically the equivalent of a human eating fibre to keep the digestive system regular and running smoothly. Grass to a dog is their main source of healthy dietary fibre needed to keep things regular and healthy.
Excerpt from Wikipedia... Sources of dietary fiber are usually divided according to whether they are water-soluble or not. Both types of fiber are present in all plant foods, with varying degrees of each according to a plant’s characteristics. Insoluble fiber possesses passive water-attracting properties that help to increase bulk, soften stool and shorten transit time through the intestinal tract. Soluble fiber undergoes active metabolic processing via fermentation, yielding end-products with broad, significant health effects.

I suggest you let your dog eat all the grass she wants because it is actually good for her health and well-being rather than detrimental.

Answer 6

I own both Dogs and Cats. In my experience both animals eat grass for digestion and it does help their stomach's to feel better. As long as you are feeding a 100% complete nutritional dog food ( look at each package to make sure it is 100% complete) Your dog is healthy. Please don't worry about his grass eating habit, especially if your vet doesn't seem concerned at all about this. In winter I buy a little lawn grass seed container sold for the cats to eat as they please. If I don't they eat all my asparagus fern plant and my fresh parsley that is growing for my own cooking use. Eating grass is natural to all animals. It helps their digestive system, just like we eat "salad" to keep us healthy and regular. I would not give my dog an anti acid for anything unless the vet says so! That's not a natural cure for a dogs digestive system. The dog knows exactly what he needs, just follow his lead in this one!

Answer 7

I had a dog named Oreo that ate grass to help him digest. Simply tell him NO in a loud tone. Same with my cat just train then and when doing something wrong say NO I have had the most obedient pets ever. Simply say NO or try training it to stop their “grass eating” problem. It’s best if you just let him eat the grass to help keep the food down unless you want him puking over the place.

Answer 8

Grass is not harmful for dogs. My dog eats grass sometimes. Dogs usually eat grass when they feel the need to barf, i have seen this happen. Don't worry about it, but if it gets you nervous, try to deter him/her, and praise them when they dont eat any.

Answer 9

I would feed the dog the food she eats best and let her eat the grass as this will not hurt her as i no of.....

Answer 10

You could try to add greens to the dogs diet. Peas, green beans and the like added directly to the food your dog is eating you could also add plain yougart to the food to help add positive enzimes to the Dig. tract.