BehaviourDog1 min read

Why does my dog eat grass?

Eating grass is common in dogs and does not automatically mean that your dog feels sick. Research speaks against vomiting being the only or usual explanation.

Good to know

Many dogs eat grass now and then without seeming ill before or after. Studies and reviews of plant-eating behaviour in dogs suggest that it often occurs in otherwise healthy animals and is not typically followed by vomiting. There is therefore no good scientific support for the simple explanation that dogs always eat grass to make themselves vomit.

Why an individual dog does it cannot always be said. The behaviour may be a normal part of a dog's foraging behaviour, and there are hypotheses about both fibre and evolutionary mechanisms. One published case describes how long-term plant eating decreased after a change to a diet with more fibre, but a single case does not show that a lack of fibre is the general cause.

It is more relevant to react if the grass eating suddenly increases or comes together with repeated vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, weight loss or reduced appetite. Also avoid grass that may have been treated with pesticides or fertiliser.

Is your dog eating a lot of grass and also having stomach problems or other symptoms? Contact AniMed for an assessment.

Sources

This article is general information and does not replace an examination by a vet.

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