To settle their stomachs, young wild dogs often eat a particular type of grass. This grass has properties that prevent certain types of illness-causing bacteria from proliferating in their intestines. When the dogs have reached maturity, though, they seldom eat grass, and thus a significant amount of the bacteria can be found in their intestines. Strangely enough, in areas where little grass is available for consumption, few young dogs are found to have the illness caused by the bacteria.
Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the strange finding?