Welcome to our “Detraining Your Pet” series, where we help you “detrain” your pet from those naughty or boring bad habits and get them back to being the best boys and girls.
Have you ever looked at a rock and thought, “Mmm, tasty”? Probably not, but there are dogs that definitely do – and even an “overachieving” dog that ate 169 pebbles! Whether it’s pillows, children’s toys, trash or rocks, some dogs seem to have an appetite for everything. We’ll go over some of the reasons your dog eats All and what you can do to free them from this unhealthy habit. But first, here are some incredible stories of things that ended up in pets’ stomachs.
What did they eat?
Veterinary Practice News holds an annual contest called “What Did They Ate?” To enter the contest, veterinary clinic staff submit x-rays of patients who have eaten strange and unexpected things. Some of the entries include a cat that ate an astronaut pendant and a dog that ate a turtle shell. There was also a dog who, instead of just licking the peanut butter and preventative heartworm off the spoon, ate the whole spoon! There was even an entree for a bearded dragon that ate a dime.
Pica and coprophagia (Eww!)
When dogs regularly eat things that aren’t food, it’s called pica. Pica can be caused by a behavioral problem or sometimes by a medical condition. When the item that is eaten is feces – either their own or another animal’s – it is called coprophagia. Although it’s not normal behavior for most dogs, coprophagia is normal for mom dogs who use it to keep their newborn puppies clean and to stimulate puppy bowel movements.
Behavioral issues behind Pica
Sometimes, if dogs are bored, anxious, or stressed, they will use pica as a coping mechanism. If you think your dog may have pica due to a behavioral problem, start by making sure he gets enough physical exercise to use up his excess energy. It’s also important that they have plenty of mental stimulation, especially when you’re not home or available to play with them. A physically and mentally tired dog is less likely to wander around the house looking for random things to chew on.
If your dog eats things when you’re not home, he may be suffering from separation anxiety. An article by Samantha Randall, editor of Top Dog Tips, offers some suggestions for preventing separation anxiety when you leave the house.
Medical reasons for Pica
If your dog’s pica behavior is new, you may want to have him checked out by your veterinarian to rule out a medical issue. If they have nutrient deficiencies due to an unbalanced diet, they may eat items to try to replace those missing nutrients. Pica can also be caused by metabolic conditions, digestive disorders, or other medical issues.
Most people have probably seen a dog eat grass, but contrary to popular belief, dogs may not eat grass to soothe an upset stomach. We don’t really know why dogs eat grass, but apparently they have a good reason for it!
remove temptation
If your dog eats things he shouldn’t eat, inspect your home and yard and put away the things you don’t want to eat, as well as things that could be dangerous to your dog. Crate training your dog is a good way to restrict his access to tempting objects when you’re not there to watch him. Use their crate when you’re away from home or at night while you sleep.
You also need to make sure your dog is very good at “leave”, “let go” or a similar command so that if he chews on something he shouldn’t, you can get him to let go of the object. You can then trade the forbidden item for a more appropriate tasty treat or chew toy.
Why do puppies chew everything?
Teething puppies may find comfort in chewing on things to make their gums feel better. You can help them know which objects are chewable by changing out anything inappropriate with teething sticks, cooling teethers, or soft chew toys. When he starts chewing on something you’d like to keep intact, give him a chew toy instead. It’s best to train them not to chew things before it becomes a permanent problem or turns into pica.
Pay Attention to These Symptoms of Pica
If your dog eats something he shouldn’t eat, you may notice he is vomiting or has dry nausea, diarrhea, not eating, abdominal pain or lethargy (doesn’t want to play or move around a lot). If it was something digestible or small and soft, it can cause stomach upset and resolve in a few days. But if it’s not digestible or too large to pass through the digestive tract, it can cause intestinal blockage. It can be painful, uncomfortable and even deadly. It may also require expensive surgery to remove the object. Infectious diseases or intestinal parasites can also be transmitted by ingesting feces or contaminated objects.
If your dog eats a poisonous item (e.g. human medicine, batteries, coins containing zinc, mouse poison) it can be life threatening. If you see your dog eating something he shouldn’t have eaten (or you suspect he has), contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control center immediately, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (1- 888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (1-855-764-7661), to determine if they need veterinary care.
If you notice items around your house disappearing, you might want to ask yourself if your dog ate them. Like the “What did they eat?” competition, some dogs eat anything! But by removing the temptation and putting your dog in a crate when you can’t watch him, you can help him kick this potentially deadly habit. If you’re concerned that your dog has eaten something he shouldn’t have eaten, be sure to consult a veterinarian immediately.
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