Dogs eat grass when they are sick?

Question

Is it true that a dog will eat grass when it has an upset stomach?

Answer 1

there are several theories why dogs eat grass, veterinary experts agree that it's just normal canine behavior.

Some people think dogs eat grass when they have an upset stomach. Since grass is not very digestible, many dogs do vomit after eating it, but this is not always the case. Some canine grazers show no sign of gastric distress before or after eating grass, while other dogs always vomit after munching on grass. Do those dogs eat grass because they already have an upset stomach and they want to vomit, or do they vomit simply because the grass upsets their stomachs? That's a question with no clear answer.

Another common explanation is that dogs eat grass to make up for a vitamin deficiency or a lack of roughage in their regular diet. It's unlikely that eating grass will actually add any essential nutrients to a dogs diet, and many healthy dogs who always eat a perfectly balanced diet also eat grass.

Most veterinarians agree that dogs eat grass simply because they like the taste. Eating grass is not a sign of illness. If, however, there are signs of ill health such as excessive vomiting, vomiting not associated with grass eating, loss of appetite, diarrhea, weight loss, lack of energy, or any other symptoms of illness - call your veterinarian.

If you want to discourage grass eating and the vomiting that follows, frequent lawn mowing can help. Since clumps of tall grass seem to be especially appealing to most grazers, keep grass well trimmed around the edges too.

Never allow dogs to eat grass that has been treated with fertilizer, weed killers or pesticides and don't let them eat grass where mushrooms might also be growing.

But... As long as your lawn is mushroom free and has not been treated with harmful chemicals, do not be concerned if your dog occasionally munches on a few blades of grass. It really is common canine behavior.

for more info or resrch you can check these sites out :)
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1547&articleid=1139
http://www.bestfriendspetcare.com/Pet_FAQs/dogeatsgrass.cfm
answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060814201959AAIy6kg
http://www.lakeeffectdog.com/Grass.htm

There are many more sites,just type in "Why do dogs eat grass"
Good luck-i hope this clears things up for you!

Answer 2

This can be the case, some dogs eat grass to help with digestion- however this behavior is usually followed by the dog throwing up. If your dog seems to be really sick, monitor its symptoms and take him/her to the vet. However this is something that occurs often with dogs, and it is nothing to be alarmed about. There are dogs who do have upset stomachs and throw up-they use the grass as an 'herbal medicine'. Some dogs just like to eat grass.

Unless your dog is looking very sick, there is nothing to worry about with this behavior.

Answer 3

Dogs commonly eat grass, and there are several explanations that have been offered for this behavior. One, wild canids (e.g., wolves and fox) eat all of an animal when they catch it. Since they eat many herbivores (plant-eating animals), they end up eating a lot of grasses and plants that were in the intestines of these animals. In addition, they have been known to eat certain berries and other plant material. Dogs then, may eat grass because, in reality, it is a normal part of their diet.

Many times, dogs will vomit after eating grass. Did they eat grass to make them vomit? Or did they vomit because they ate grass? It is a mystery, but it seems that some dogs may eat vegetation when they have an upset stomach.

The third reason - they just like it. Some dogs have certain species of grass or plant material that they will search out and eat. We know a beagle who can pick raspberries faster than his owner.

In any case, grass eating is basically a normal behavior, and is not of concern unless your dog does it excessively.

Answer 4

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The first is simple; you must win your dogs mind. If you don't achieve this first then you will be struggling the all the way. When I talk about winning your dogs mind what I really mean is that your dog looks to you for all the decisions. Before you do anything else watch one of the amazing video sites that show you the 5 Golden rules to establishing yourself as the pack leader. If you aren't putting these in place then you are setting yourself up to fail. Just at the crucial point where you really want your dog to listen they will go and do their own thing. For sure your dog may play ball occasionally or even most of the time, you may even have a dog that is obedient 99% of the time, however if you want a dog who always listens to you and does as you ask then you need to win your dogs mind.

The second key to success is to motivate your dog. It is really important that you discover what it is that your dog enjoys both in terms of exercise and play but also in terms of a reward. If you can make the experience enjoyable then you will both achieve more and look forward to training.

Some dogs love to fetch, others love agility, and other dogs simply love obedience training, or swimming out into water and retrieve. At least to start with find out what your dogs love is and help them develop this, what I am saying is work with your dog. The other point to recognize is to make training enjoyable reward your dog.

Answer 5

Yes dogs can eat grass to induce vomiting but many dogs will simply 'graze' when out for walks without any ill effects. It's just part of the natural order of things. My lot particularly like dandelions!

Answer 6

yes. because the grass calms there stomach down theres just something in it. my dogs have done it several times usually in the summer which is probly when a dogs stomach gets upset the most because of the heat.
i dont reccommend eating grass yourself tho to see if it works with humans too..thatd be crazy..
im just saying.

Answer 7

I have 4 dogs and they all eat a lot of grass. Most of the time they eat it when they need some sort of assistance with removing any mucous in their stomach, or throat, the grass acts as an abrasive and helps bring up the mucus or bile. in the case of stomach or bowel problems it "catches" stuff in their intestines and stomach and helps to evacuate the bile. also some dogs just like to eat grass. it is nothing to worry about

Answer 8

yes, dogs will eat grass, it helps their stomachs. (don't know how) I also believe that they also eat grass when they are missing something in their diets.

Answer 9

Yes, usually when their stomachs feel bad they'll eat leaves and grass. I think there's something in it that helps their stomach, but it's alos and obvious sign that they aren't feeling good.

Answer 10

Nope. Check out this website that debunks some canine myths -- http://members.aol.com/tara8000/Myths.html