Ensure any chemicals you use are pet-safe, or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations if your pet needs to be kept off the grass after application. Lawns treated with pesticides or herbicides may contain toxic chemicals that can make your dog sick.Regardless of the reason, grass ingestion seems to be a normal, harmless activity.Įating grass itself poses no danger to your pet however, you should keep the following precautions in mind: Dogs may simply enjoy eating grass, or do so out of boredom. Grass-eating may have evolved from wild dogs who ate plants to increase intestinal motility and to help eliminate parasitic worms from the body. Grass-eating is a natural behavior for dogs - With the lack of support for other theories, grass-eating likely is a natural biological behavior that is not typically associated with illness or dietary deficiency.The above study also investigated a possible relationship between diet and grass-eating behavior, and found that dogs who ate a lower-fiber diet were no more likely to eat grass than those who ate a commercial, balanced diet. Dogs eat grass to make up for nutrients their diet lacks - Another theory posits that dogs eat grass to add fiber to their diet.It is also unlikely that dogs are displaying problem-solving behavior by eating grass to make themselves feel better. So, although eating grass may sometimes cause vomiting, the two likely are unrelated. However, a study published in Veterinary Medicine magazine found that only 8% of dogs exhibited signs of illness before eating grass, and only 22% of dogs that ate grass regularly vomited afterward. Dogs eat grass to make themselves vomit - Grass ingestion is thought to cause vomiting, and dogs with an upset stomach may purposely eat grass to rid themselves of the offending irritant.Some beliefs about why dogs eat grass include: Wild dogs, such as wolves and coyotes, have been observed to eat grass, berries, and other plant material. Although many people assume that dogs are carnivores, undomesticated dogs are natural omnivores who eat a diet of both meat and plant material. In people, pica is typically considered a compulsive behavior, but dogs may eat grass for a simpler reason.
The behavior of eating non-food items, including grass and dirt, is called pica, and is exhibited by many species, including humans. Pet owners ask veterinarians this question often, and there is no single answer, but rather many theories that attempt to explain this odd behavior. You have probably seen your dog chewing grass in the back yard and wondered why an animal with a meat-based diet would eat greenery. If you have concerns about your horse's appetite, call one of our equine vets to assist with the investigation.Dogs display interesting and confusing behaviors, and sometimes leave us scratching our heads. The epidemics of wood-chewing and eating seen in late autumn/early winter probably involve nutritional imbalances or deficiencies.Īll cases of pica should be investigated, particularly when accompanied by loss of condition, poor performance or changes in behaviour. Low grade wood-chewing is usually a stereotypy (an habitual behavioural problem) and occurs throughout the year. Phosphorus supplementation generally quickly corrects dirt-eating and other signs of deficiency. Dirt-eating is not a feature of this form of deficiency. This can be an important cause of poor performance in athletic animals at this time of year. Phosphorus deficiency may also be seen in the spring as a result of soil-leeching during wet winters. If adequate phosphate is supplied from the dirt, other deficiencies or diseases may be the cause. Conversely, not all horses eating dirt have low blood phosphate levels.
Other clinical signs of phosphorus deficiency are decreased appetite, loss of coat lustre and colour, loss of condition, lethargy and poor performance in athletic animals.īlood testing is important in horses showing clinical signs of phosphorus deficiency as not all deficient horses will eat dirt. If low blood phosphate levels result, innate behaviour can lead to horses eating, or even craving, dirt.
The decrease in both quantity and quality of pasture under these conditions can result in low phosphate intake, even when soil phosphate levels are normal. Cases generally occur in the late summer/autumn period and are more common in drier years. Phosphorus deficiency is the main cause of dirt-eating in our area. The two most common forms of pica seen in horses are eating dirt and chewing or eating wood. Recent cases involving dirt-eating are a timely reminder to revisit the question "why is my horse eating dirt?" An abnormal appetite for unusual items is termed pica, and may include eating dirt, wood, bones, tails, dung, or other inanimate objects. Dirt-eating, phosphorus deficiency and pica
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