I have had a number of clients concerned that their dog or cat eats grass sometimes on a daily basis and they are concerned that there is something wrong with their pet.
Often, they tell me that it they think it is to make their dog or cat sick and they see evidence of the undigested grass either in their pet’s vomit or the other end when they pick up their dog’s poo on a walk.
I take Ruff out every morning and watch him eat the dew off the grass and the long blades of grass almost every morning – he loves grazing like a cow!
There are two main types of canine grass eating. The first is simple grazing where your dog happily munches on grass and suffers no ill effects.
Sometimes it may be to make up for a nutritional deficiency but even dogs that eat well balanced diets will eat grass. It’s possible that they simply like the taste and the sensation. It’s like a fresh salad to them. So even if you’re feeding your dog well, they might still fancy some greens!
Instinctive vomitting behaviour
The other type of grass eating is when a dog eats some grass and throws it up. This is thought to be a deliberate instinctive attempt to induce vomiting after they’ve swallowed something that makes them feel ill or disagrees with them.
Dogs that eat to make themselves vomit usually swallow grass as quickly as possible, barely even chewing it. It is believed that the long, unchewed pieces of grass stimulate their throats to bring on the vomiting reaction.
If your dog eats grass then vomits and seems fine, they have probably instictively taken care of whatever their intolerance was.
Parasites could be another reason
A team at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine believe that regular plant eating by our pets is a reflection of an innate predisposition of regular plant eating by wild ancestors, which is supported by numerous reports of wild carnivores eating plants, as shown mostly by the non-digestible grass and other plant parts seen in their scats (the researchers name for poo!)
Studies on primates have revealed non-digestible plants purge the intestinal system of worms and other parasites.
Given virtually all wild carnivores carry an intestinal parasite load, regular, instinctive plant eating would have an adaptive role in maintaining a tolerable intestinal parasite load, whether or not the animal senses the parasites.
The findings were presented at the annual Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology in Bergen, Norway.
As reported in the journal Science, the team’s advice is to buy or grow some indoor grass for cats to chew on. This will give them a chance to exercise this innate behaviour with a safe source of non-poisonous plant life.
I happily allow Ruff to be a cow-dog and fulfil his ancestral instincts on our morning walks even though he is regularly wormed😊
SURGE IN SALES of Soya-Free Premium Vegan Dog Foods!
We have experienced a surge in sales of all our top selling foods such as Solo Vegetal, Green Crunch, Give a Dog A Bean and Greta SOLO VEGETAL 10KGS BACK IN STOCK!!
Study Of Twins Shows Benefits Of Plant-Based Diet
A ‘Groundbreaking’ Study Of Identical Twins Finds Benefits Of Plant-Based Diet And Same In Dogs!
Give A Dog A Bean is Transformational for Maya!
“This new canned food has been nothing short of transformational for Maya”
Millie loves Gold Dust Joint Supplement
She just loves the golddust, its wonderful, there is a definite change in her, much more bouncy almost like her young self
We share the same gut microbiome as our dogs!
Dr Arielle speaks at Vegfest London about the similarities between us and our dogs on a plant-based diet in reducing inflammation and healing auto-immune conditions
Vet’s dog transforms on Solo Vegetal
But now, since I started Solo Vegetal I have consecutive MONTHS of solid motions! It really has made a big difference to Polar’s life and my family
London Vet Show Highs and Lows
I returned home emotionally drained, but also feeling so much more positive about the future of plant-based dog nutrition with the contacts that were made
April just loves Give A Dog A Bean!
I have never seen such a manic reaction from two lazy dogs, they scoffed Give A Dog A Bean as if this was the first meal they’ve had in a long time
Two Positive Talks In One Week!
Dr Arielle Griffiths will be speaking at this year’s London Vet Show about the benefits of plant-based dog nutrition AND at Vegfest on Saturday where she will speak amongst plant-based doctors
Duke the Weimeraner with IBS is transformed
Without wanting to sound dramatic, Solo Vegetal has literally saved and brought our boy back
A 10th Study In Favour Of Plant-Based!!!
Yet another paper providing evidence that a nutritionally sound plant-based diet WILL benefit our dogs
Give A Dog A Bean is SO tasty!
“Boston loved the tinned food and woofed it down in one go. It’s actually the best smelling dog food ever. Impressive stuff!”