Grass is often ingested by dogs before they vomit. But there are other reasons for dogs to eat grass. Eating hair is less common in dogs. However, unlike grass eating, hair eating is an abnormal behavior and is associated with irreversible neuropathological changes, states Viktor Reinhardt of the Animal Welfare Institute in a 2005 issue of Laboratory Animals. Prevention is ideal for both hair eating and grass eating.
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Upset Stomach
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Many dogs will eat grass followed by vomiting. Drs. Foster and Smith write at PetEducation.com that it is still a mystery whether dogs eat grass to vomit or if they vomit from eating grass. Some dogs will eat grass when their stomachs are upset. Once they realize that grass makes them vomit, they will continue to eat it if they need to vomit.
Taste Preference
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Drs. Foster and Smith notes some dogs actually have a taste preference and will only eat one type of grass. These dogs will actually seek it out and munch on it. While this is normal and usually not harmful, Pet Library cautions owners of grass-loving dogs that grass that has just been treated with herbicides or other chemical treatments is lethal to dogs.
Nutrition
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Wild dogs such as wolves do eat vegetation as part of their diet. After a kill, the first item they eat is the stomach which contains all the plant material their prey has ingested. This plant material includes a lot of grasses and other plants. Drs. Foster and Smith state that these wild dogs have been known to eat berries. Domestic dogs may eat grass because their diet may not be providing them enough of the nutrients and fiber present in grass.
Boredom
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Some dogs resort to hair pulling and eating when they are bored. Viktor Reinhardt from the Animal Welfare Institute states that hair pulling is an adapted behavior that helps dogs to relieve environmental stress that can be caused by boredom, lack of companionship, lack of toys and insufficient living space.
Treatment
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Pharmaceutical drugs such as naltrexone, clomipramine, diazepam and phenobarbital have been shown to work in treating dogs suffering from a chronic case of hair pulling and eating, states Viktor Reinhardt. In most cases, however, once medication is started, it must be continued as hair eating will continue if the treatment is stopped. There is no known treatment for grass eating.
Prevention
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Prevention is the best possible course for hair eating. Since grass eating is not linked to a behavioral abnormality in dogs, prevention is optional for owners. If owners are tired of having their dog throw up in the living room after eating grass, prevention is the best course to take. In both cases, keeping the dog well occupied and free from boredom will prevent him from having opportunity to engage in the unwanted behavior. If owners of single dogs work during the day, they can consider adding a second dog to the family to keep both dogs mentally engaged while they are away or sending their dog to doggie daycare.
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