DOGS EATING STRANGE OBJECTS AND FECES:
If your pet has an appetite for such oddities as socks, rocks, or even
feces, chances are you've wondered and worried about her unusual eating
habits. In this case, your worry may be justified: Not only can your
possessions be destroyed or damaged, but objects such as clothing and
rocks can produce life-threatening blockages in your pet's intestines.
Eating non-food items has a name: It's called
pica.
A specific type of pica is stool eating either the dog's own or that of
another animal. It's called coprophagy.
Rarely seen in cats, coprophagy is fairly common in dogs, especially
those who tend to be highly food-motivated. And although it's not
necessarily dangerous to the animal, it probably is unacceptable to you.
Why Animals Do This:
The causes of pica and coprophagy are not known. Many theories have been
proposed by various experts, but none has been proven or disproven. One
idea is that such behaviors may be attention-seeking behaviors. If
engaging in one of these behaviors results in some type of social
interaction between the animal and his owner even a verbal scolding then
the behavior may be reinforced and occur more frequently. Others think
these behaviors may be attempts to obtain a necessary nutrient lacking
in the diet, although no nutritional studies have ever substantiated
this idea. Pica and coprophagy may also stem from frustration or
anxiety. It's even possible that the behaviors begin as play; as the
animal investigates and chews on the objects, she eventually begins to
eat or ingest them. Some experts have suggested that coprophagy is
carried over from the normal parental behavior of ingesting the waste of
young offspring. Others believe that coprophagy occurs more often in
animals who live in relatively barren environments, are frequently
confined to small areas, and/or receive limited attention from their
owners. It's also possible that dogs learn this behavior from other
dogs.
Because pica and coprophagy are not well understood, stopping these
behaviors may require assistance from an animal behavior professional
who will work individually with you and your pet. Suggested Solutions
for Coprophagy Because the cause of coprophagy isn't known, no
techniques or solutions are known to be consistently successful.
However, the following techniques may be
effective in resolving the problem:
Treat your pet's food with something that causes his stool to taste bad.
A commercial product called 4-BID„˘ is available through your
veterinarian. The same result may be achieved by using the food additive
MSG. Based on owners' reports, both of these products work in many
cases, but not always. Before using either of these products, consult
with your veterinarian. Give your pet's stools a bad taste by sprinkling
them directly with cayenne pepper or a commercial product such as Bitter
Apple®.
For this method to be effective, every stool your pet has access to must
be treated so that he learns that eating stools results in something
unpleasant. Otherwise, he may discriminate (using scent) which stools
have been treated and which have not. Keep your dog on a leash any time
you take him outside.
If you see him about to ingest a stool, interrupt him by clapping your
hands, spraying a squirt bottle, or shaking a can (only for pets who
aren't afraid of loud noises). Then immediately give him a toy to play
with instead, and praise him for taking an interest in the toy.
Clean your yard daily to minimize your pet's opportunity to eat his
stools.
If your dog eats cat feces from the litter box, install a baby-gate in
front of the litter box area.
Your cat shouldn't have any trouble jumping over it, but your dog likely
won't even make the attempt. Or, place the litter box in a closet or
room where the door can be wedged slightly open from both sides so that
your cat has access but your dog doesn't.
Think twice before setting up a some kind of homemade "booby trap" to
stop your dog from eating cat feces from a litter box: Remember that if
it frightens your dog, it's likely to frighten your cat, too. Suggested
Solutions for Pica Pica can be a serious problem because items such as
rubber bands, socks, rocks, and string can severely damage or block an
animal's intestines.
In some instances, the items must be surgically removed. Because pica
can be potentially life-threatening, it's advisable to consult both your
veterinarian and an animal behavior professional for help.
Here are some other suggestions:
Make the objects your pet is eating taste unpleasant by applying cayenne
pepper, Bitter Apple®, or some other aversive. (For more information on
using aversives, see our tip sheets on using aversives to modify your
pet's behavior). Prevent your pet's access to these items.
If your pet is food-oriented, change his diet to a low-calorie or
high-fiber diet. This may allow him to eat more food, more often, which
may decrease the behavior. Check with your veterinarian before changing
your pet's diet. If you suspect that anxiety or frustration is the
reason for your animal's pica habit, change the behavior by using
behavior modification techniques.
If you catch your pet ingesting items and believe it is to get
attention, startle your pet with a loud noise or a spray of water. If
possible, avoid letting him know that the startling noise or spray came
from you, and be sure to praise him when he leaves the items alone.
You may want to give him something acceptable to eat or chew. Try to set
aside 10 to 15 minutes twice a day to spend with your pet so that he
doesn't need to resort to pica to get your attention.
If you think your pet's pica habit is play behavior, then keep plenty of
toys around for your pet to play with. Cats especially like to play with
string, rubber bands, and tinsel, and ultimately ingest them. Keep these
items out of reach and provide a selection of appropriate toys. (See our
tips on Cat Toys and How to Use Them and Dog Toys and How to Use Them.)
What Doesn't Work:
Interactive punishment (punishment that comes directly from you, such as
verbal scolding) is usually not effective because it may be interpreted
by your pet as attention. What's more, many animals learn to refrain
from the problem behavior when their owner is present, yet still engage
in the behavior when their owner is absent. Punishment after the fact is
never helpful. Animals don't understand that they're being punished for
something they did hours or even minutes before. This approach won't
resolve the problem and is likely to produce either fearful or
aggressive responses from your pet.
Adapted from material originally developed by applied animal
behaviorists at the
Dumb Friends League, Denver, Colorado. All rights reserved.
If you have questions or need our services, please contact the shelter
at
618.346.5213 or contact us today via
e-mail
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COLLINSVILLE. A KTLLC Communications Solution