Does your dog like to race outside every morning, eat some grass, and then vomit? What if they just like to graze from time to time? Is this a problem and should you be worried as a pet owner.
There are no easy answers when it comes to just about anything in veterinary medicine and this seemingly simple topic is yet another example. Make sure you talk to your vet if your dog eats grass regularly as only they will truly be able to tell you if it’s a potential problem or not.
Let’s start by looking at the 3 major reasons why dogs will eat grass:
- They Eat Everything
- They Like The Taste
- Their Stomach Is Bothering Them
They Eat Everything
Some dogs will literally put anything and everything into their mouth. If your dog is ingesting things constantly, then it could be a condition called pica.
Pica is a medication condition in which an animal (or person) will eat things that have absolutely no nutritional value. Think rocks, dirt, plastic toys, etc.
How can you distinguish if this is the case with your dog? You likely already know because you’re constantly pulling things out of their mouths. That’s how it is with my golden retriever. She’s always putting things in her mouth that I have to remove. When she eats grass, I don’t worry that it’s an actual medical issue.
They Like The Taste
When spring comes along and the grass is lush and green, some dogs love to graze in the backyard. That can be totally normal. Dogs are omnivores, meaning they eat both meat and plant products, and they like the taste of grass at times.
If it’s spring or early summer grass covered with the morning dew, it can be quite tasty to some dogs. Some wolves have even been observed in the wild eating grass.
Not every dog will eat grass and vomit. I’d estimate that it’s a smaller percentage than you actually think. However, it’s when your dog runs directly outside in the morning, eats grass like they are on a mission, and then vomits up a pile of bile and fluid along with that grass that may signal there’s an issue.
Their Stomach Is Bothering Them
Now we are down to the nitty gritty of why you’re likely reading this post. You think that your dog is actually telling you there’s a problem by eating grass and then vomiting.
What are some other ways that you can tell if their stomach is actually bothering them?
- They also don’t eat breakfast like they normally do
- They act lethargic or just “off”
- They may vomit more than once
- They also have diarrhea
At this point, if you see that your dog is actually exhibiting the above behaviors more than a few days a week, contact your vet and go in for a thorough evaluation. There are so many possible reasons for this behavior.
- Bacterial imbalance in the stomach
- Their diet is causing irritation and inflammation
- They ate a foreign object and it’s sitting in their stomach
- Liver disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease…
- We’re stopping here because we don’t want to scare you. Go see your vet.
Ways To Keep The Stomach Healthy
If you’re trying to keep your dog in tip-top shape and they don’t have any current issues with their stomach, there are definitely some things that you can do to keep the stomach healthy and functioning perfectly.
Probiotics
The gastrointestinal tract of a dog is filled with a multitide of different kinds of bacteria. Most of them are good and are there to help your system digest, absorb, and transport food through the body. Some of them, however, are bad.
When that balance between good and bad bacteria gets thrown off, problems like vomiting and diarrhea can develop. This can happen in any dog at any time. Dogs like to walk around the yard and lick things on the ground. Who knows what they’re actually putting into their bodies at this time?
Probiotics are the good bacteria in a concentrated form. The usage of probiotics is intended to maintain the optimal bacterial environment to keep a dog healthy.
Some of our favorite probiotics found on Amazon are Fortiflora (which we have carried in our practice for the past few years and Zesty Paws Probiotic.
Look At Their Diet
The more recent trend towards high-protein dog food diets were rooted in a marketing campaign to equate dog food diets with their ancient wolf ancestors. However, dogs have evolved over centuries and have developed a digestive tract far different from their wolf counterparts.
It’s not uncommon to look at a lot of the “boutique” dog food diets and find protein contents of 40% or more. There are some dogs that simply can’t handle that level of protein. How do I know? I’ve treated several dogs over the past 3-4 years with chronic GI symptoms of intermittent anorexia and vomiting. The first few times I ran a multitude of tests to determine the cause.
Now I simply ask what food the otherwise seemingly healthy dog is one and make diet change one of my first treatment recommendations. Those dogs that had intermittent GI issues with their high-proteins diets have their issue resolve on a new diet with a more reasonable level of protein.
How much protein does a common domesticated dog really need? No more than about 33% protein. Anything more and you’re likely going to run into situations where the dog isn’t really absorbing all that extra protein. Instead your dog is going to expel some super stinky gas and may even have abnormal stools.
Other Considerations
Some of the other ways that you can keep your dog’s stomach healthy and working well include not giving it treats that are high in fat or calories, keeping your pet at an optimal weight, and exercising them often.
Conclusion
Your dog eating grass may or may not be an issue. If you’re seeing it on a more chronic basis and it’s associated with other symptoms, call your veterinarian to schedule an exam.
Parker Animal Hospital – 303-841-2120
