Why Do Dogs Eat Plant Leaves?

[Don Ro]

I know why they eat grass...

My fiance has Basset Hound that loves eating Hibiscus and Lantana leaves.

Does the dog sense that some mineral is missing in her diet...or nervous or what?
BTW, her dog will eat just about anything that we offer her...she ate an entire 20 stick pack of gum recently...wrappers and all...when we weren't looking.

[Nostril Cheese]

Hibiscus | ASPCA

Lantana | ASPCA

Might want to be careful.

[Don Ro]

Whoa! Thanks for that...who knew?

[widgeon13]

For that matter, why do they eat poo!?

[tedg04]

You might want to be more concerned with the gum, esp if it was sugar free. The fake sweeteners can cause serious problems with dogs (I think it can give them diabetes in a hurry as well as some sort of organ failure).
My wife is the household authority on this stuff (licensed vet tech). Her take with the dog eating grass is that he's just a little hungry. Kinda like eating a salad.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

For that matter, why do they eat poo!?

Undigested nutrients, to smell like other things, because dogs be cray-cray, and..good bacteria:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fecal_bacteriotherapy
"Infusion of feces from healthy donors was demonstrated in a randomized, controlled trial to be highly effective in treating recurrent C. difficile, and more effective than vancomycin alone.[8][9] It also may be used to treat other conditions, including colitis,[10] constipation,[10] irritable bowel syndrome,[10] and some neurological conditions."

[GWN7]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

For that matter, why do they eat poo!?

If they are eating poo feed them banana. It has been proposed they need trace minerals in their diets and the banana provides that.

[RF5BPilot]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

I know why they eat grass...

Sounds like you're unique as everyone else just seems to guess.

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by RF5BPilot

Sounds like you're unique as everyone else just seems to guess.

I've only had 4 dogs in my days...but for each one of them when they ate grass they would summarily puke...and then just move on.
Sort of academic for them.
So I have always assumed they ate grass in order to rid their gut of something.

[RF5BPilot]

There seem to be at least three modes of grass eating behavior. One seems to be followed by almost immediate vomiting. The first time or so may be a learning experience. But some dogs have exhibited inflamation which may be related to a desire to vomit.

Some seem to eat grass when they are stressed, which may or may not be followed by vomiting.

Some seem to be very selective, pursuing young leaves of a specific kind of grass and don't vomit at all. They may like the taste, may be benefitted by some of the nutrients or may even want (at some level) organisms that grow on the grass (e.g., yeast).

Most of what seems to be known is from casual observation rather than careful analysis. In general, we have a lot to learn about the digestive process in humans, much less dogs (which have a lower priority and may be more complex).

Poop eating is a great way to help get greater nutrients and populate the digestive system with beneficial organisms. Hint....they even do that to humans under medical care to help "restart" their digestive process.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

For that matter, why do they eat poo!?

It's the dog equivalent of PARF. No one knows why people go there, but when they get caught, they look at you, turd in mouth, like "I didn't do that."

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

I've only had 4 dogs in my days...but for each one of them when they ate grass they would summarily puke...and then just move on.
Sort of academic for them.
So I have always assumed they ate grass in order to rid their gut of something.

This.

[tops911]

my 2 dogs eat grass, they love their salad. They really love the young, tender grass. They graze on the grass like goats. My brother's dog eats grass and promptly throws up. They are all three the same breed, Deutsch Drahthaars.

[nota]

''Some seem to be very selective, pursuing young leaves of a specific kind of grass and don't vomit at all. They may like the taste, may be benefitted by some of the nutrients or may even want (at some level) organisms that grow on the grass (e.g., yeast).''

my dog a lab-chow- G shepherd does that a bit
only one kind of a weedie grass
never pukes after and only eats a little bit

[gacook]

I'm "bad" as I sometimes feed my dog people food. When I eat a sandwich, he always gets the last bite. I find it amusing that he'll spit out whatever veggies are in the sandwich (the usual--lettuce, pickles, tomatoes), but he'll occasionally "graze" on the grass in the backyard--without puking.

[Laneco]

The smell and/or taste of some fertilizers are very appealing to dogs...and usually very bad for them.

My take on the eat-grass-and-immediately-upchuck is that they are drawn to the smell/taste and the product makes them sick. I've fertilized plants with blood meal and had dogs actually eat the dirt...

angela

[911SauCy]

One of my pups recently took an hour to mow a half dozen of my mother in law's Hostas right to the dirt...

I thoughts Hostas were bad for the DAwgs too?

[vash]

Plant leaves helps them get rid of that cat poo breath.

[tedg04]

FWIW - my dog eats a lot of grass and really rarely vomits.

[targa911S]

because they can't smoke it? They need thumbs to roll a joint.