Dogs are omnivores – they’ll eat just about any food. But sometimes they eat a little more than food…
Grass
There are many different theories as to why dogs eat grass. One theory, and probably the most popular one, is that dogs eat grass when they want to throw up. But why would a dog want to throw up? Perhaps he is feeling unwell.
Other theories people have put forward are that grass contains nutrients that dogs can’t get from ordinary food. It has also been suggested that grass helps dogs deal with worms, and that chewing grass can help clean their teeth – not to mention that chewing grass just feels good! I mean, have you ever seen a dog look unhappy while chewing grass?
Overall, chewing grass is harmless for dogs. They will not chew more than they can handle, so don’t worry – unless you really like your grass!
Clothing and Other Things – Sticks, Household Objects, etc.
Your dog loves you – and when you’re not around, she probably misses you. Your clothes smell like you, and your dog loves your smell. So if your dog suffers from separation anxiety, she probably enjoys chewing on your clothes. Maybe it reminds her of you and provides her with comfort!
Other things around the house (or outside) such as sticks, rocks or ornaments, stuffing from couch cushions, etc. can just smell so good, how can they resist? Dogs use their sense of taste as much as their other senses to explore their world.
Younger dogs need to chew to relieve the pain of teeth coming through, and older dogs need to chew to keep their teeth clean. That doesn’t necessarily mean your clothes or household or backyard objects are the best thing for them to chew on! Try to make sure you give them things they can chew! You can easily find chew toys and other specially made products for chewing at the pet store.
However, sometimes she may get a little too enthusiastic with her chewing and forget she’s not chewing food and accidentally swallow it. Common things that vet come across dogs having eaten include socks, tights, underwear(!) and even pants and skirts. Others have eaten things like sticks and rocks.
It can be very, very dangerous for dogs to get the things they eat stuck in their digestive system. You should watch for signs of weakness, vomiting, tummy pain, growling or signs of pain in other areas, or diarrhoea. It is vital that if you suspect that your dog has swallowed something she shouldn’t have and is showing any of these symptoms to take her to the vet as soon as possible. If you leave it too long your dog can get seriously ill – and possibly even die! X-rays need to be done, bloodwork and other tests, and your dog could possibly need an operation to remove the object.
Vomit and Poop
Yep. It’s disgusting. But dogs don’t have the same standards that we do.
Imagine someone you know hands you a packet of chocolate. You wouldn’t turn that down, unless you hate chocolate. Well, dogs think that any food (or anything they eat, I should say) that’s left in public is theirs for the taking. And they don’t smell things the way we do – they don’t think that vomit and poo stink the way we do. Not only that, but these things actually contain nutrients.
They will also sometimes eat their own vomit and poop. Just because she vomited it up, doesn’t mean she doesn’t still want it!
Also remember that mother dogs toilet their puppies in the very early years of their lives as they don’t yet know how to do it themselves. It’s a biologically based behaviour.
Unfortunately, dogs can and do get sick from eating poop – if its from other animals. Strangely, they can eat their own poop with no problem! Poop from other dogs could contain bacteria and parasites that are bad for your dog, so please make sure your dog doesn’t eat other dogs’ poop while you’re walking him!
Animal Carcasses
Dogs have a natural hunting instinct, so they are primed to hunt animals and then examine, chew and even eat the result. However, if a carcass has been left somewhere for an extended period of time, it can contain harmful bacteria that will make your dog sick. You dog can get food poisoning. A carcass can also contain neurotoxins that can make your dog ill. Finally, it can contain parasites that can be hard to get rid of and compromise the quality of your dog’s health. As with any other thing your dog eats that it shouldn’t, monitor them for signs of weakness, pain, vomiting and diarrhoea, and if you’re concerned, take them to the vet for testing and treatment.
Things that are Toxic for dogs
Xylitol
Xylitol, which is found in some sugar free chewing gums, is extremely toxic for dogs. They can get very very low blood sugar, liver failure and die form ingesting xylitol. 0.1 grams of xylitol per kg of body weight is considered a lethal dose. Apart from gum, xylitol can be found in some peanut butters and other products, so be sure to check the labels of food before you feed it to your dog, and definitely don’t leave things that contain xylitol lying around the house!
Chocolate and Caffeine
Chocolate and caffeine can cause irregular heartbeat and seizures and possibly death. The more your dog eats the worse, obviously. It’s not 100% likely your dog will try to eat chocolate or coffee beans but it goes without saying that leaving them in reach of your dog is tempting fate.
Grapes
For some dogs, even a small number of grapes can cause kidney failure. Other derivatives of grapes are just as dangerous – I’m talking currants and raisins. Who would have thought something so natural could be so fatal?
Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol causes alcohol poisoning for humans so it stands to reason it would do the same for dogs, as dogs have blood too!
Macadamias
Sources say enough of these are fatal – but very rarely. Still, it will cause stomach upset, so best to be avoided.
Salt
Too much of a good thing… Just like alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning, salt can lead to salt poisoning.
In Summary…
If you ever even remotely suspect anything is wrong with your dog – if he is acting differently, showing signs of distress such as muscle weakness, unwarranted fatigue, excessive drooling, excessive vomiting, sudden and severe diarrhoea, pain or tenderness on his body, wooziness, fever or anything at all out of the ordinary – please take him to the vet. Even if you think it will cost too much, consider how it will feel if your best friend doesn’t make it – would you feel then that it would be worth the cost of a vet visit to have him back? I think so.
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