Picture the scene: you and your dog are chilling outside, having a lovely old time.
Then, for no discernable reason at all, your little friend starts snaffling up some grass.
While at first this could be slightly alarming, especially to new dog owners who are still learning what is and isn’t safe for their pets to eat, you needn’t necessarily be worried.
Here’s what you should know about whether your dog’s grass habit is normal and what it could mean…
Why do dogs eat grass?
Dr. Nick Thompson, a vet working with ProDog Raw, tells Metro.co.uk that dogs eating a little bit of grass is ‘nothing to worry about’.
However, if your little buddy is eating loads of grass, it could be a sign that they’re currently not getting a balanced diet.
He says: ‘If a dog isn’t getting enough fibre, they will try and boost this with grass. Similarly, if a dog isn’t getting enough greens in their diet, they will eat grass for the chlorophyll goodness.
‘Sometimes eating grass can be just a habit, or if they live with another dog that also eats a lot of grass they can pick it up from them.
‘Dogs can eat grass as a way of self-medication. If a dog suddenly starts eating grass it could be because they are feeling nauseous, and will eat the grass to try and induce vomiting.
‘If the dog is continually eating grass, and has repeated urges to eat grass as soon as they get outside, this may be cause for concern.’
Plants dogs shouldn’t eat
Some dogs don’t discriminate between grass and other plants, but you should always make sure they’re not eating something they shouldn’t.
The plants they should stay away from are:
Daisies
While eating dasies isn’t likely to kill your dog, they should still probably steer clear of them.
‘If a dog eats daisies, they can get diarrhoea – depending on their sensitivity and how much they eat,’ says Dr. Nick.
‘If a dog is eating a lot of daisies, it is a good idea to look at their diet. A good balanced raw food diet is going to be really good for the gut, and should mean that a dog shouldn’t be looking to eat daisies.’
Hedge Bindweed
‘Dogs shouldn’t want to eat these’, says Dr. Nick, ‘but they may accidentally eat them while eating grass.
‘This can cause vomiting and lead to organ failure – if a dog is seen to be eating hedge bindweed it is recommended to take them to the vet with a sample of the plant.’
Lambs Quarter
‘Lambs Quarter is generally considered toxic in dogs, but if your dog gets their chops on a small amount’, Dr. Nick says ‘it shouldn’t be anything to worry about.’
Euphorbia
Euphorbia is very toxic for dogs, but it looks a lot like Chickweed, which is non-toxic.
Dr. Nick says: ‘Chickweed can be distinguished from Euphorbia because it only has a single line of hairs on its stem.
‘Chickweed is okay for a dog to eat, and is traditionally used in powder form to help with skin conditions. However, Euphorbia is also known as cancer weed or radium weed, and should be avoided.
‘If in doubt, don’t let dogs go near these weeds and if a dog does eat some, take them and a sample to a vet so they can identify the plant.’
Broad-leaved dock
These might not be toxic, but if your dog eats too many of these they could cause kidney stones because they’re high in oxalates.
If your four-legged friend goes hard for the Broad-leaved docks, it could be a sign that their diet needs to change or that they’ve got some underlying health problem.
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk
MORE : How to spot and treat hay fever in dogs
MORE : Smiley dog and grumpy cat siblings become best friends
MORE : Terrified abandoned dog learns to trust humans again after being rescued from roadside
0 Commentaires