Why does a dog eat grass outside

The owners of four-legged pets notice that animals periodically eat grass. And there is no particular preference for shaggy "vegetarians". They are happy to use as coarse plants - wheat grass, field cereals, tear down, and bright flowers, fresh juicy herbs. Accordingly, the question arises: "Why does a dog eat grass?"

Myths about this

Some amateur dog breeders are convinced that eating greens is necessary for their pets in order to:

Replenish your diet with fresh vitamins.
Cure some kind of disease.
Free the stomach from rotting food and excess bile.
To clear the digestive system of worms.
Clean the teeth from plaque and remove the unpleasant smell from the mouth, etc.

As you can see - there are a lot of versions of non-professionals, only professional veterinarians doubt the validity of these myths.

First , scientists argue that predatory animals in the stomach do not have enzymes that can absorb nutrients from fresh greens. In nature, the ancestors of dogs ate herbivores along with the contents of the stomach, which has already been processed with enzymes and enzymes. In addition, dog breeders noticed that even those dogs that eat a balanced diet that contains essential vitamins and trace elements eat grass. So, the first assumption does not hold water.

Secondly , animals, as a rule, have no preferences in the choice of "medicinal raw materials", and, therefore, do not have congenital knowledge in herbal medicine. And again, not being able to digest the greens, dogs can not extract useful substances from it. Therefore, this myth has also been questioned.

Go to the latest version. She also brings a smile. The dog is not able to chew on the grass so intensely as to “brush teeth” and freshen breath. Predator teeth are adapted to tear and bite, but not chew. Yes, and hardly fluffy anxious about the freshness of his breath. But the following assumptions are rational.

Will be useful: symptoms and treatment of staphylococcus in dogs .

Opinion professionals

Coarse fibers and fiber, in fact, irritate the walls of the stomach and intestines, stimulate the separation of bile. If the dog feels discomfort in the stomach, eating grass will increase intestinal motility and normalize the evacuation of undigested food, rotting debris or solid particles. In addition, the dog all this lump just belches, freeing the stomach.

It is unlikely that the animal is consciously treated by grass for worms. It is possible that the discomfort that causes their livelihoods, the dog facilitates the same way - by pinching grass. Also, veterinarians believe that the succulent herbs of the dog escape from constipation. Moisture from plants plus an irritating effect - and diarrhea is provided to the animal. Is it worth worrying about this?

Experienced dog breeders and veterinarians believe that if the appearance of the dog does not cause fear, and its "vegetarian" inclinations are not so frequent, then there is nothing to fear. According to statistics from the same scientists, more than 76% of dogs eat grass and survive it safely.

See also :

What is the danger

If an animal eats grass very often, and it looks sick, then it is better to contact a veterinarian immediately. And even when there are no visual signs of the disease, and the animal chews greens daily, the disease may occur in a latent form.

In addition, eating a “salad” for a walk, a dog can eat herbs that have been treated with herbicides or fertilizers. In the greenery growing on the roadsides, toxins and heavy metals accumulate, which, if used regularly, will not add to the health of the pet. In addition, the excrement of animals falling on the lawn may be infected, and a shaggy gourmet can catch any infection. To please your pet, you can grow yourself a green supplement to the "table", or "graze" a dog in the country away from danger.

Another assumption, which also has no scientific substantiation, but is very similar to the truth: shaggy mischievous people just like the taste of grass, which is why they eat it. And out of curiosity, because the organs of taste in dogs are a means of knowing the world. After all, the dog eats various inedible, in our opinion, garbage. So she learns, develops. Consequently, there is absolutely nothing abnormal and pathological in the desire to occasionally chew weed. If only it all went to the benefit of a fluffy explorer.