grass eating

For most dogs eating grass is likely nothing to be concerned with as long as the grass has not been treated with pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals. Grass eating is common for dogs and it is not always related to illness or vomiting.

Grass eating most likely falls into one of three categories.

  • They enjoy it. (Vegetation is good and serves a biological purpose)

  • Gastrointestinal Issue (GI problems)

  • Illness

    • dogs showing signs of illness before eating grass are more likely to vomit afterward.

“if your dog is frantically eating the first patch of grass she finds, it could mean a GI problem is brewing.”

“Dogs with IBS, IBD, gastritis, enteritis, maldigestion and malabsorption instinctively search for natural remedies for the occasional upset stomach, and grass often does the trick, not to mention it's usually easy to find.” Dr Karen Becker

Grass eating may be beneficial to dogs and cats that are eating foods containing corn or grains. “Corn, peanuts, cottonseed and grains are potential sources of aflatoxins in pet foods. (Aflatoxin is a mycotoxin) Dogs and cats are among the species most sensitive to the effects of aflatoxin” [1] Aflatoxins are not destroyed by heat, boiling or food manufacturing methods. [1] Plant chlorophyll can bind mycotoxins, such as those found in moldy grains, decreasing their absorption.” [1]

My two dogs always loved to eat grass and we would say they just liked their salad and that it was normal. But after running a NutriScan food intolerance test on each of them and eliminating several foods from their diet their grass eating reduced about 95%. (after eating grass they were not throwing up).  Since food intolerance or sensitivity is more common than a food allergy I plan on running a NutriScan test on all my future dogs for food intolerances since it seems reasonable that problems can be subclinical for a length of time. Food intolerances/sensitivities can manifest in gastrointestinal issues, chronic itching, chronic gas, chronic skin, ear and foot infections.

If your dog does eat grass on occasion just be sure that it has not been treated with pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals because studies have linked canine cancers to lawn chemicals.