Why Does My Dog Eat Grass?
It’s in the top 10 most googled dog questions…
So ‘Why does my dog eat grass?’ – Vet24 Nurse Sharon has the answers…
The most common theory is that dogs consume grass when they are feeling unwell to help them vomit. Although this might be a direct consequence of eating the grass, studies have shown it may not actually have been the dogs intention. In fact, studies of completely healthy dogs have shown that very little vomit after grass ingestion.
Other theories suggest eating grass aids in improved digestion and worm burden control, several products market grasses for its digestive ability. However, the claims made are only anecdotal and no scientific research has supported such a theory yet.
So, could it be that dogs are eating grass to satisfy their hunger? Yes! The digestive system of a dog has little capability to process grass – so no nutritional benefit is received. The consumption of grass may only serve to keep him feeling fuller in between meals. A study conducted on healthy dogs found that the relationship between grass eating activity increased prior to each meal, and following their meal grass eating reduced – so the hungrier the dog, the more grass was eaten.
So if your dog is eating grass, no need to stress it’s a completely normal behavior – let them enjoy!!
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