What should I do if my dog eats grass and vomits?

Dog eating grass and vomiting may be caused by self-induced vomiting, which mainly means that the dog wants to stimulate the stomach by eating grass and induce vomiting. If your dog is in good spirits, has a normal appetite, and normal stools, and does not continue to vomit or show other abnormal symptoms, then you don't need to worry. However, if the dog's spirit and appetite are not good, and the vomiting continues to worsen, it could be due to eating disorders, parasite infections, or pesticide poisoning. It is recommended to take the dog to a pet hospital for related checks as soon as possible to diagnose the cause and treat it accordingly.

Self-induced vomiting

Dogs have a behavior of self-induced gastric washing. Firstly, if a dog eats too much food or has a lot of hair in its stomach causing indigestion, it will eat grass to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract, aiming to vomit up the food and hairballs to alleviate its discomfort. If the puppy's spirit is good, and it does not continue to vomit or show other abnormal symptoms, then there is no need to worry.

Pica

If a dog's daily food composition is monotonous and its nutrition is not balanced, causing the body to lack essential minerals, it can develop pica, which leads the dog to eat grass. Since grass stimulates the dog's vomiting center, it will vomit. Additionally, dogs with pica can be seen gnawing on walls, nails, soil, and feces. If this happens, stop the dog and supplement it with essential minerals and other nutrients. You can also feed it some seedless fruits and vegetables.

Parasite infection

If a dog's owner does not give it regular deworming treatments, the dog might try to clear parasites by eating grass, causing vomiting. Moreover, if the grass contains parasite eggs, the dog could also become infected by eating it, leading to vomiting. Check your dog's stool for signs of worms. If found, the dog is infected with parasites, and it is recommended to deworm the dog promptly.

Pesticide poisoning

There is a significant risk when dogs eat grass in the wild because urban environments regularly spray insecticides, and the chemical residues on the grass leaves can harm the dog. It is also possible for the dog to eat grass containing plant toxins, causing vomiting. Symptoms of pesticide poisoning in dogs usually include seizures, vomiting, and excessive salivating. This is a severe consequence, and if not rescued in time, it can be fatal. Therefore, it is advised to take the dog to a pet hospital as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment.