That moment when you see your dog happily bouncing around and picking up what looks like a rock is probably a mixture of confusion and annoyance for most pet parents.
Who do this ? Well, the dogs.
Stone-eating dogs are actually a very common occurrence with a number of possible causes, says Dr. Adriana Fisher of VCA Animal Hospitals.
“I saw a Standard Poodle eat 10 pounds of loose gravel because cooking oil was spilled on the gravel driveway,” says Dr. Fisher.
Why do dogs eat rocks? 5 common reasons
Possible reasons dogs chew stones range from medical to behavioral:
- “I’ve seen a lot of sled dogs eating rocks when not in training,” says Dr. Fisher.
- Pica (non-food consumption) induced nutritional deficiency. “But it’s usually down to a behavioral issue,” says Dr. Fisher.
- Spills on the rocks of things attractive to dogs like food grease or blood.
- General anxiety, separation anxiety, or compulsive disorder can also cause dogs to eat abnormal objects like pebbles. Dr. Fisher says compulsive and anxiety disorders typically have other symptoms like chewing on any available object, self-harming, tail chasing, and/or destroying objects when left alone.
- A puppy eating pebbles can mean teething. “Young dogs like to chew anything to relieve their gum pain, including pebbles,” she says.
Dog chewing stones: how to stop it
“A basket muzzle is the best option for stone eaters when outdoors,” says Dr. Fisher. “It allows them to pant and drink water but not eat rocks.”
Read our article on using a dog muzzle for behavioral issues.
Here are other ways to keep dogs from chewing rocks:
- Give your dog safe items to chew like bully sticks, dental chews, and nonfat frozen plain yogurt in a Kong or just as a large frozen block, says Dr. Fisher.
- Enrich your dog’s daily activities with exercise, training and mental stimulation.
- Have your dog checked out by the vet to rule out a nutritional deficiency.
- Supervise your dog outside when rocks are present and limit access to rocks as much as possible.
My dog ate a stone: is this an emergency? Rock Hazards
Chewing stones can lead to broken teeth requiring surgical removal, and swallowing stones can lead to gastrointestinal blockage requiring surgical removal of the gastrointestinal tract, says Dr. Fisher.
“If the owner knows a stone has been eaten, they should take their dog to the vet immediately because removal by endoscopy or inducing vomiting is easier if the stone is in the stomach,” she says.
“The stones can stay in the stomach for days or months and cause only certain gastrointestinal symptoms such as occasional vomiting and decreased appetite. Once the rock passes through and blocks the intestine, it This is a life-threatening emergency.A rock blockage can cause rupture of the intestines which can lead to death quite quickly.
Eating stones in dogs is more common than you might think, but it’s still potentially dangerous. Monitor your puppy or dog if you think it’s becoming a bad habit and determine if it’s behavioral or medical. In some cases, the solution could be as simple as more brain exercises and games.