Netizens Discuss: Are Dogs Self Medicating When They Eat Plants?

Understanding the bizarre behaviors of your four-legged friends can be a confusing endeavor. Many puppy owners have been befuddled by behaviors like excessive licking, staring at their owners, and endless barking to name a few. But lately, the question that has had Beijingers on Weibo scratching their heads is: Why is my dog eating plants?

Recently, a Beijing woman posted a video of her little puppy chewing leaves and proclaiming to the Internet that it does so to soothe its aching stomach, or what she referred to as "self-medicating." In the video (see the gif below), the dog is munching on some large green leaves that turn out to be ramie leaves, a powerful herb that has anti-inflammatory effects. The dog owner believes that her dog possesses a natural instinct to self-medicate by nabbing a bite of these greens.

“My dog doesn't just eat any plants and he is very selective. He only eats what's good for him. Indeed, I feel like he got his appetite back later and he is just as hyped as he was before.”

It's an interesting anecdote. But is it universally true of our little borkers? Can they really prescribe themselves an herbal remedy? 

While it's a common myth that dogs eat grass and leaves when they're feeling ill, the truth is that science still doesn't really understand the true motives behind your dog's grass-eating habit. But here are some of the possible explanations that might be helpful for you to keep in mind.

Yes, eating grass to soothe an upset stomach is one theory. Specifically, the theory goes, dogs eat the vegetation in order to induce vomiting, thus clearing out the digestive system and making it easier to eat food later on.

However, another theory holds that dogs eat grass, because, well... they just like it! In some cases, the craving may even come on as a result of too few veggies or fiber in the pup's diet.

Yet another theory says dogs who eat grass could be coping with separation issues from their owners. They believe dogs might start nibbling on the green stuff when feeling ignored as a mechanism to cope with anxiety.

But self-medication or not, some vets doubt that dogs have the desire innate within them to eat grass and leave. They believe that most of the time, dogs exhibiting this behavior have picked it up with another dog or animal they had an interaction with.

No matter what the reasons are behind your dog's plant-eating behavior, responsible pet owners shouldn't bet on evolution endowing their dogs with the ability to tell which plants are safe to chew on. You should always make sure that your pet isn't accidentally chewing on anything that could be poisonous! Here are some plants to watch out for.

Daisies

While daisies probably won't be poisonous enough to kill your dog, you should probably keep them away from these pretty little flowers. Dogs might get diarrhea, start vomiting, or suffer from skin irritation if eating daisies.

Aloe Vera

Your dog should avoid Aloe Vera at all costs! The saponins in the plants are highly poisonous to dogs and will cause your dog to vomit and suffer from low blood sugar.

Daffodils

Dogs shouldn’t be allowed to munch on these beautiful daffodils, and not just in the name of preserving the garden! When eaten, they can cause vomiting and even intestinal spasms.

Read: Should Dogs Get Served in Beijing’s Restaurants? A Debate Worth Barking Over | the Beijinger

Images: Unsplash, Weibo