What studies exist on this matter?
If you have a pet - and even if you don't - you've probably noticed that dogs sometimes eat grass, although perhaps you didn't know that this can actually have several meanings and origins.Do they do it out of discomfort?
Also striking was the fact that only 8% of those questioned stated that they had noticed any signs of discomfort prior to ingesting herbs, and only 12% indicated that any vomiting had occurred . Although the experts wanted to delve even deeper, they launched an online call to participate in a scientific study to find more data about why dogs eat grass. More than 3 thousand people sent applications, but in the end there were 1,571 dogs that qualified with their respective caregiver.Dogs eating grass is normal
In conclusion, the scientists pointed out that eating grass was not an indication that something was wrong with the dogs' health, but rather a normal habit , which most likely comes from the genetic information of their ancestors, the wolves, who have developed this habit of eating. ancient form in its natural state. Wolves have eaten grass and herbs both to calm anxiety when they don't have to eat, and also to purge themselves of bacteria.When do dogs eat grass and what causes it?
Although, something that the researchers discovered is that, in fact, the consumption of grass was more frequent before eating than after eating, which is why it was also related more as an issue of anxiety and even as a way to appease hunger. , which would be much more common than doing it for purgative purposes. Likewise, they also noticed that this behavior was performed more frequently in the early stages of the day, which was also associated with less satiety. Even so, it is also recognized that grass on the dog's intestinal walls encourages the emergence of gastric acids, which are ultimately what generate vomiting. Furthermore, in reality this plant material also facilitates the dragging of worms, which, combined with the intestinal contractions produced by the fiber in the grass, allows to encourage the evacuation process , which is generally not expressed through vomiting, but through of better digestion.So, is it good or bad for dogs to eat grass?
In conclusion, we can affirm that eating grass is a completely normal behavior in dogs, and which in most cases occurs as a way to calm anxiety, although it also has digestive and purgative purposes for dogs. Only on occasions when dogs eat grass suddenly and with great speed and vigor, could it be a more urgent discomfort that the dog could do to try to expel something in its body, so in these cases it is not appropriate. plus consultation with the veterinarian to consider other symptoms. For this reason you do not have to scold your dog when he eats herbs, it is only recommended to be careful in unknown terrain , both due to the presence of poisonous herbs and toxic fertilizers, which would be the only risk factors in these cases.You may also like: