How many times have we watched our dogs eat grass and throw it away in no time? This is a very common habit in most of these pets. Many people wonder why dogs eat grass, as they are primarily carnivorous animals. Today we are going to answer this great unknown.
We shouldn’t worry too much about dogs eating grass. Their ancestors, the wolves, did too. In any case, in this article we are going to explain why they carry out this behavior and why they vomit on certain occasions.
Why do dogs eat grass: The most common reasons
There are different reasons why our dogs eat green plants. Next we will talk about why dogs eat grass so that we can identify their behavior and find out why they do it. There are three reasons which are most common and which we will talk about later, but it can happen due to any other reason as well. For example, when plants are provided with raindrops, it is possible that dogs will eat them to feel the freshness in their mouths.
Sometimes it may happen that the dog eats grass as a hobby without vomiting later. This behavior is not worrisome and should not be scolded for. However, we must be aware that our dog does not eat plants that could be harmful to its health. For this reason, we should prevent them from starting to eat herbs that have been sprayed with pesticides.
In the event that the dog is constantly looking for grass to cause vomiting, and not other plants, it is advisable to go to the vet as it is quite likely that something in your diet is spoiling you , due to poor digestion. By eating grass, the dog expels what is in its stomach and is able to ease its pain. Let’s now move on to the three most common reasons.
Inclusion of minerals and nutrients in the diet
One of the most common reasons dogs eat grass is to add minerals and nutrients to their diet. This plant provides a lot of fiber, which is very helpful for the digestion of the animal. However, we should not worry. The fact that our dog uses grass to supplement its diet does not mean that it is not balanced or complete. It is a natural survival instinct that is still latent in dogs.
Abdominal pain
Another one of the most common reasons why dogs eat grass is because it hurts their stomachs. The dog vomits after eating grass and in this way cleans its stomach. You can also resort to this trick if you have accidentally swallowed a foreign object like a toy or a stone. It is simply a way of getting whatever is in your stomach out and reducing your pain. Since grass is irritating, it thickens the digestive wall and increases fluid secretion. This causes vomiting.
evolutionary habit
As we have mentioned above that the ancestors of dogs and wolves also eat grass. Hence, it is an inherited habit. For evolutionary reasons, wolves began to include grass in their diet. This way they include more nutrients and fiber in their daily diet.
Why dogs eat grass: Vomit
As we mentioned earlier, dogs eat grass to make themselves vomit and thus clear their stomach. They do this when they have ingested harmful substances, if something has made them feel bad and they cannot digest it well, or if they have swallowed a foreign object. Therefore, it is a natural way for dogs to self-induce vomiting and relieve the pain they are feeling.
As it is a natural behavior, we should not worry if it happens from time to time and taking into account that our dog is healthy. However, we must be aware of the act of vomiting. It is important to check that you are getting the material out without any problems and that you are not choking.
In the event that the dog is looking for grass and vomits every day, most likely it has problems when it comes to digestion or the feed is not suitable for it or is of poor quality. To be sure, we must go to a veterinarian who will diagnose the problem and give us some guidelines and/or treatments. In addition, if the dog is trying to expel the foreign body without success, it can increase its pain and cause gastritis.
In conclusion, we can say that this is not a worrying behavior. Instead, if the animal does this continuously we must go to the vet as you may need a change in diet or removal of any foreign objects. In addition, some ethologists say that it could also be due to the dog being bored or for some other reason related to its character.