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😊
Sarah the active Border Collie loves her daily Gold Dust
“Sarah is an amazing girl. Very intelligent and active, she just wants to please. We love her so much.”
Top 5 Trending Internet Pet Food Searches
All 5 top searches focus on pet health and sustainability with plant-based searches increasing by 70% in 2023!
What an exciting September!
We are just SO excited about September where we help you even more with feeding your dog a nutritionally sound plant-based diet
Did you know that fish don’t produce Omega 3?
Fish get it by consuming algae. Algae are tiny microscopic plants that turn sunlight into Omega 3 DHA. This Omega 3 has a number of benefits, for joints, skin, brain and heart. However, fish oil can often contain mercury, microplastics and other toxins that cannot be...
Her ears smell just like Cheesy Wotsits!
“She smells just like Cheesy Wotsits” I just had to laugh as she was right, Matilda’s infected itchy ears smelt just like Cheesy Wotsits!
Lottie’s plant-based diet has been a Game Changer!
We have not been back to the vets for her itchy ears for 4 weeks and counting! Which is incredible with what we’ve been through!
Supermarket shelves could run out of dog food – Hurrah!
Edgard & Cooper joining forces with Deliciously Ella, new Omni wet food, new oven-bake dry food from The Pack, Butternut Box plant-based sales soaring, Scrumbles on shelves in Sainsbury!
Pain reduced in just 3 days with GOLD DUST!
Inca seems to have more energy, there is a lot less stiffness in her hips (the main issue for her joints) and able to move more freely. I simply cannot believe this!
Louise’s fur finally grew back!
“Thank you for saving Louise” – Linda Dundee
See how palatable GOLD DUST is for your dog!
Our little Ruff absolutely loves the taste and smell of GOLD DUST – watch the video!
Why our dogs should NOT be eating pork or fish
The dangers of bioaccumulation of toxins could be harmful to our pets
19 year old Ruby walked again
I gave Ruby some Boswellia that I had in the cupboard, and I am amazed that she stood up and walked today for the first time in a long time