The crisp autumn air is accompanied by warm sweaters, and crisp leaves, perfect for fall walks with your pet. Your dog might love playing and playing in the fallen leaves however, what happens is the consequences if they decide to eat leaves? In small amounts, the majority of leaves aren’t harmful to dogs, but it is always recommended to know the types of trees and plants around your home and which ones you need to be sure to keep your dog away from, and when you should be concerned about this behavior as abnormal.
Why My Dog Eats Leaves?
Dogs are omnivores, according to Nikki Graham, DVM from Nottingham Animal Hospital in Hamilton, N.J., which means they eat meat as well as plants. Although non-domestic dogs can eat leafy greens and grass as a supplement to their diet your dog must get all the nutrition they require from their meals every day.
Although grasses and leaves contain plenty of fiber, they’re not very nutritious. “It’s likely that your pet is eating leaves in an seek to fill in the gaps within their food intake,” says Graham, so if you see your dog eating grass or leaves you should consult your vet and include fiber in your pet’s diet in a different healthy, healthier method. It could be an alteration in the food you feed your dog or including supplements for fiber or adding dog-safe vegetables such as carrots or prepared pumpkin as well as celery.
Insufficient fiber intake isn’t the only reason why your pet is eating leaves. Certain dogs consume grass or leave to vomit to ease nausea. If your dog suffers from nausea regularly, consult your vet because it may indicate an issue with greater severity.
Pica is a condition that causes dogs to experience an obsession with eating food items that are not edible, such as leaves, could have a myriad of reasons, such as dietary requirements boredom, stress, or medical problems. If your dog is often eating non-food items even if it only leaves, take your pet to a vet to be examined!
The dangers of dogs eating Leaves
According to Graham, most of the time eating a handful of leaves should be completely safe for your pet. However, she states that certain plants are poisonous for dogs It’s recommended to find out what kind of plants and trees surround your home.
Particularly, according to Graham, chrysanthemums may cause stomach upset and drooling. In addition, the autumn crocuses– the spring crocus that can cause intestinal bleeding, as well as kidney as well as liver damage in addition, Japanese yews can trigger tremors, and seizures as well as sometimes they can even be fatal. Other plants you must be sure to keep away from are black walnuts as well as tomato plants.
Though the majority of leaves falling off trees will be okay for dogs however, you should be cautious of areas with a lot of pesticides, since these chemicals could be harmful to your dog’s health if consumed. Graham states that even if the leaves are from a “safe” plant-eating too many leaves could cause intestinal obstructions and can cause serious health issues.
How to Prevent Your Dog from Eating Leaves off the ground
To ensure your dog’s safety, Graham recommends keeping a constant lookout for your dog whenever they’re outside to make sure they’re not eating too many leaves. If your dog has a habit of eating leaves, check with your vet to determine whether the problem lies in eating habits or another medical condition. If your pet is eating leaves because they’re bored The best option is to find activities that they like which include increasing playtime and providing fun, interactive toys to keep them entertained and arranging games with other dogs!
