Q: Why does my dog eat grass?
A: Speculations abound as to why dogs eat grass.
One common theory is my pet must be sick and needs to vomit. In a study of 1,500 dogs that had eaten grass at least 10 times in the past year, only nine per cent were reported as being ill before grass consumption.
The truth is that we have no idea why dogs eat grass. It would appear that grass-eating is a normal behaviour for some dogs. According to a survey of over 1,000 dogs, 68 per cent were reported to consume plants on a weekly basis – grass being the most common at 79 per cent of plant material consumed.
This survey found no relationship between sex, breed, diet, fiber content in the diet, nor the frequency or type of plant eaten. However, the survey did reveal that younger dogs more often consume plants than older dogs.
Q: Is it normal for my dog to vomit after eating grass?
A: Yes. This survey found that one in every four dogs vomited after eating plant material. If your dog doesn’t vomit, then depending on the amount consumed, the grass may irritate the colon causing a soft, mucous- and grass-filled stool. Their stool will return to normal once all grass has been passed.
Dr. Jeffrey Person practices at the Delton Veterinary Hospital and co-hosts the listener call-in show Pet Talk, heard every Sunday morning at 7 a.m. on AM630 CHED.
