do dogs eat grass for the same reason as cats?

[fizzgig]

i know that when i see my cat eating grass that i need to be on vomit patrol, but i've been watching the neighbor dogs just nom down on grass for the last few weeks and it's piqued my curiosity.

they seem to prefer the crabgrass and dandelions to regular grass.

i really need a life if this is what i spend my days contemplating.

[Symarip]

1. Without googling, I seem to remember

Dogs eat grass to supplement a lack of fiber. Something inside their body tells them they need some plant material in their system.

[fizzgig]

2. that makes sense

i was wondering if that might be the case. we all need roughage :)

[sixmile]

3. Dogs eat grass to induce vomiting

No other reason.

[ForrestGump]

4. Dogs eat EVERYTHING to induce vomiting.

Or to just be disgusting or smell really bad.

They don't tend to be too discriminating ("Mmmmm...filet mignon. Yum! Mmmmm...dust bunny. Yum! Mmmmmm...decomposed livestock carcass. Yeah, baby!!")

[Creena]

10. Mine is a connoisseur of bunny poop.

Yummy, yummy!

[Midlodemocrat]

5. Yes.

[Dogtown]

6. The difference is in the Yak.

Cats induce vomiting to rid themselves of indigestible hair-mats from cleaning themselves.

Dogs do it to hawk up something they shouldn't have eaten, but they're dogs.


Both are nasty to step in.

[Duer 157099]

7. I don't think so

My dog likes a particular type of grass, and whenever we come upon it, she grabs a few to munch on. She rarely vomits - the only time that she did was actually after she ate some grass, but I believe it was because a piece of it got stuck in her throat - she hocked it up with some saliva, not really like she emptied her stomach.

When she comes upon a patch of this grass (the stuff with really long blades) I usually help her by picking them and handing them to her, she's so funny. I think she must have grown up on a farm and just learned to eat what the farm animals did.

[Danger Mouse]

8. Either they're going to puke, or they're really really stupid.

In other words...my dog.

[Creena]

9. Possibly.

Sometimes they'll get to throw up, but other times they just enjoy the grass. Mine likes to munch occasionally, especially dandelions, but I make sure it's on grass not treated by insecticides. Some veterinarians do believe the dog is lacking fiber, but go out of their way to pick their favorite variety.

The simplest answer: it's tasty.

[S n o w b a l l]

11. I think it's usually due to indigestion...

And it does induce vomiting in that case. It's usually grass and bile when they throw up which tells me it was an upset stomach and it's not always due to something they ate. I'll give mine a pepto bismo tablet if I see that happening.

I guess some dogs might eat grass for the taste, but none of mine have ever gone out & grazed in the lawn for the taste of it. :)

:hi:

[UTUSN]

12. Let's cut to the chase: Somebody barfed on my bed today AND I'm not happy!1 nt/

[Critters2]

13. My vet says no one knows why dogs eat grass. nt