Eating grass but not throwing up?

[Rachel]

My 2 year old rescue girl (I've had her for about a month) has been eating grass lately but not throwing up. I thought that eating grass was the dogs version of sticking your finger down your throat. Also her stool has not been consistent... its been very loose (not runny just soft) the past couple of days then this morning it was normal but green... (sorry to be so graphic). I have not given her anything new food/treat wise over the last couple of days... Do you think I should give her some yogurt to see if that calms her down? I'm feeding her dry IAMS right now which I know is not the best and am looking into changing that. I also give her 1/3 of a can of Merrick's in the morning as a treat and to get her into her crate but I've been doing that for almost 2 weeks now. Do you think her diet could be causing her upset stomach? or should I take her to the vet because she really is sick? Should I worry about her eating grass?

Thanks!
Rachel

[Hee Yung Lee]

If it's been only two weeks since you started giving her the canned food then maybe it's just taking her awhile to adjust to the new food and that is why her stools are a bit soft.

[Jill Ramsey]

Dogs with digestive problems/sensitive stomachs will often eat grass. We had a yellow lab that knew which grass would be ok to eat, and which grass would make him vomit. He also had a sensitive stomach. If the food she's eating now is not the same as what she was eating in the past, it very well could be affecting her stomach. And that could be why she's eating the grass. The food may be too rich for her. Try something bland for a few days and see if she improves. Boiled ground beef and rice usually works good for that. I've also heard that canned pumpkin (no spices) is helpful for the loose stools.

[Eric Vecc]

Iams is not the greatest food and could be causing some problems. Also, we cannot give our dog soft food as it gives him diarreha (sp?). You should also be careful not to switch foods to quickly or too often. Once you get him onto a regular diet, stick to it. Dogs do best on a regular schedule. If you switch foods, begin by mixing the 2 brands little by little (more and more). Start with 1/4 new food and 3/4 old food...then 1/3 new food and 2/3 old food...1/2 new and 1/2 old...and so on. Based on recommendations from DD, I would not move faster than a week at each step. I have also done a great deal of research (and posting) on dog food brands. I found that Nutro Natural Choice is cheaper and decent for the dog. There are some top of the line brands that might be better, but they are out of my budget. Best of luck.

[Rachel]

Thank you guys for all the info. We're putting the wet food on hold and looking into Nutro Natural Lamb and Rice. Hopefully that will help.

Thanks!
Rachel

[Sheryl]

My big guy LOVES grass! He would just about mow my whole lawn if I let him. Even now in the winter (I am in Northern Canada) he will eat the old dead stuff if he happens to dig some up. He only threw up once, when he ate a bunch of sweetgrass. Since he developed separation anxiety, I have him on Science Diet z/d in case there is an allergic component to all the scratching, etc. The behaviour specialist recommended a natural diet for him (ie-raw foods). I wonder if the grass-grazing is somehow tied in to some of his problems?