Chances are your dog has eaten a salad of grass at some point in it’s life, and you probably notice it comes out pretty much the same way it went in.Have you asked yourself,why my dog eats grass? Given that dogs can’t digest grass.
Is there a reason they eat it? Can there be an underlying health issue that you should worry about?Here are three reasons why my dog eats grass
#1 Benefits Of Chlorophyll For Dogs
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in algae and plants. Its structure is a lot like your dog’s hemoglobin, which is an important part of your dog’s red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout their body.
So when your dog eats chlorophyll, it is helping to replenish the red blood cells. Chlorophyll also helps your dog by protecting blood cells from damage in cancer, fighting infections, healing wounds, breaking down calcium oxalate stones in their bladder and assist in healing the digestive tract.
As a alternative to grass, how about choosing green vegetables,as grass isn’t a great source of chlorophyll,and in addition it’s hard to digest.You can give your dog a healthy helping of chlorophyll,by mincing or lightly steaming vegetables like organic kale, broccoli, green beans or parsley.
You need to mince or steam your dog’s vegetables, as your dog will find them easier to digest,or if it’s easier, you can add phytoplankton to your dog’s diet,as this will provide the healthy fats and trace minerals along with chlorophyll.
# 2 Dog Digestive Upset
Now I hinted that grass-eating might be a sign of digestive upset.As grass can’t be digested. Dogs often throw it back up.Dogs might sometimes eat grass to help toxins exit their stomach. If your dog is eating grass because its, not feeling well, often you will see other signs of sickness. They may be licking their lips, drooling or just kind of punky.
Does a dog consume grass in order to vomit and calm an upset stomach, or does he get sick after eating grass and vomit as a result? It seems improbable that dogs use grass as a sort of self-medication because studies reveal that fewer than 25% of dogs vomit after eating it.
In actuality, only 10% of dogs exhibit symptoms of disease before consuming grass. The majority of grass-eating dogs, in conclusion, do not become ill beforehand, and they do not vomit afterwards.
However, grazing could also satisfy another intestinal need. Dogs must consume roughage, and grass is an excellent source of fibre. The ability of the dog to digest food and discharge faeces is impacted by the presence of roughage, therefore grass may actually improve these biological processes.
# 3 Why My Dog Eats Grass – As It Is Having Fun
The third reason why your dog is eating grass and looks to be just fine,is simply dogs eat grass because it’s fun and grass eating is normal dog behavior.
All wild dogs like wolves and coyotes do it. So if your dog is getting enough greens in their diet and they look in good shape and appears feeling fine,then probably they are just in the mood for chewing and biting, and grass satisfies the need to chew.
But here’s a word of caution just make sure the grass your dog eats isn’t sprayed with chemicals or pesticides. These poisons are the primary cause of bladder cancer in your dog, so you’ll want to make sure they only eat grass that’s free of chemical and pesticide free.
So to sum up, as long as your dog always has a fresh source of real green vegetables or marine plankton,then their chlorophyll needs will be met.In addition if your dog is desperately eating grass – and they don’t look like they are feeling well, it may be time to connect with your holistic vet.
Otherwise eating grass 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 them be the dog nature wants them to be.
#4 Is it instinctual to eat grass?
The ancestors of your dog did not consume kibble that was enclosed in bags. In the wild, dogs maintained a balanced diet by consuming their prey in its whole, including the meat, bones, internal organs, and stomach contents.
When the prey’s stomach included plants and grass that met the dog’s need for fibre, eating the entire animal provided a well balanced diet.
Dogs in the wild eat whatever that helps them meet their fundamental nutritional needs; they are not fully carnivorous (only eat meat), nor are they exactly omnivorous (eat both meat and plants).
The analysis of faeces samples reveals that 11–47% of wolves eat grass. Although dogs in the modern era do not need to hunt for food, this does not mean that they have lost their innate desire to scavenge.
Some dogs will eat grass as a reflection of their lineage and the need to be scavengers, even though they adore their commercial dog food.
The behaviour issue of these dogs eating grass may not even be a problem at all. If regular parasite prevention is given and infrequent grazing sessions do not make your dog ill, you should not be concerned (intestinal parasites may also be consumed with grass).
In actuality, behaviour modification might obstruct innate motivations and be detrimental rather than helpful.