Why does my dog eat grass? Is it a nutrient deficiency or harmful?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Female | spayed | 7 years and 5 months old | 17 lbs
Thank you Melanie for your answer. When dogs eat grass are they searching for a missing nutrient in their diet? Is their a particular reason why she would want to eat grass and should I do anything about it? Thank you.
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on December 10th, 2019
You are welcome! Some dogs just like the taste! This is pretty common. It doesn’t necessarily mean a deficiency in diet. I remember you from other questions about Chloe, and recall you are very on to it with her nutrition, so I don’t think that’s the case here. Sometimes dogs can eat grass due to nausea, but you’d like see other signs of stomach upset with that like drooling and a loss of appetite. I suspect she likes the taste. It’s not harmful as long as there are no pesticides on the grass.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on May 3rd, 2018
Some dogs simply like the taste of certain grasses. They may also graze out of boredom, curiosity or in an attempt to correct a nutritional deficiency. Other dogs may "self medicate" by eating grass to treat mild stomach upset. This is typically followed by vomiting. He is likely not eating grass due to intestinal parasites. You would need to submit a stool sample to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites. If he is behaving normally and tolerates the grass, there's no reason or need to stop him. Don't allow him to graze on grass treated with fertilizers or pesticides.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on July 28th, 2017
It is fine to let her graze on grass as long as it isn't treated with fertilizers or insecticide. Try to prevent her from eating dirt though. This can happen if she is trying to correct a nutritional deficiency. Review her diet with your veterinarian and monitor her when she is outdoors.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on August 20th, 2018
Hello, sorry to hear about Layla. There are some medical causes for pets eating grass. These may include an upset stomach from inflammatory bowel disease, a dietary indiscretion, or parasites. Other less likely causes include mineral deficiencies, which are very rare especially in patients that are being fed a commercial diet. However, most commonly, we may see pets eat grass due to a learned behavior abnormality. Most of the time this behavior does not escalate to other complications, however, Layla could be exposed to parasites and other infectious agents when eating grass. You may try an alternate food for her to see if this changes her eating habits. Alternatively, you can use a basket or grazing muzzle on her when she goes outside. Finally, avoiding areas with tall grasses could decrease the amount of grass she eats. If none of this is working, you should contact your veterinarian to have her evaluated for mineral deficiencies and offer a consultation with a behaviorist. Hope this helps and best of luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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