Chances are your dog’s eaten a salad’s worth of grass at some point in his life?
And you’ve probably noticed it comes out pretty much the same way it went in …
So if they can’t digest it … why do they eat it? Is there an underlying health issue that you should worry about?
That’s what I want to talk about today … 3 reasons your dog may eat grass.
1. Your Dog Needs Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in plants and algae. Its structure is a lot like your dog’s hemoglobin, which is an important part of your dog’s red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen throughout his body.
So when your dog eats chlorophyll, he helps replenish the red blood cells.
Chlorophyll also …
- Protects cells from damage and cancer
- Fights infections
- Heals wounds
- Builds the immune system
- Breaks down calcium oxalate stones in his bladder
- Heals the digestive tract (which I’ll talk about next)
Your dog can’t choose green veggies when he needs chlorophyll … and grass isn’t a great source of chlorophyll because it’s hard to digest.
But you can give your dog a healthy dose of chlorophyll. You can mince or steam organic vegetables like …
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Green beans
- Parsley
- Spinach
Why steamed or minced? This will help your dog digest the vegetables better.
Now, I hinted earlier that grass eating might be a sign of digestive upset.
And that’s reason number two …
2. Your Dog Has Digestive Upset
Because dogs can’t digest grass, they often throw it back up.
So dogs sometimes eat grass to get rid of toxins in their stomachs. If your dog is eating grass because he’s not feeling well, you’ll often see other signs of sickness.
He might …
- Lick his lips
- Drool
- Not be his normal self
If that’s the case, you might want to a bit of detective work to figure out what’s wrong with him. You may even want to talk to your holistic vet.
But if your dog’s eating grass and looking fine … it might be time to talk about the third reason your dog might eat grass.
3. Eating Grass Is Natural For Your Dog
Grass eating is normal dog behavior.
Wild dogs like wolves and coyotes do it too.
So if your dog gets enough greens in his diet and he looks like he’s feeling fine … he may just be in the mood to chew and bite. Grass satisfies that need.
But here’s a word of caution …
Make sure the grass your dog eats isn’t sprayed with pesticides or chemicals.
These are a common cause of bladder cancer in your dog.
So you want to make sure he only eats grass that’s free of chemicals.
Should You Be Worried About Your Dog Eating Grass?
So as long as your dog always has a fresh source of real green veggies in his diet … you’ll meet his chlorophyll needs.
And if your dog’s desperately eating grass and looks like he’s not feeling well … it might be time to connect with your holistic vet.
Otherwise, grass eating is just natural behavior for dogs. So make sure your dog has access to nice long grasses that are free of sprays and pesticides … and help him be the dog nature wants him to be.
