*Disclosure: We only recommend products we have used ourselves and trust. This post may contain affiliate links and we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
This is a behavior called coprophagia and can happen with any dogs (or other animals).
Some eat their own poo, some eat other animals poo like the cats from the litter box, back yard rabbit pellets or horse poo from the barn for example. Of course, it's a yucky habit but furthermore, we worry about this behavior because it can increase the risk of transmission of intestinal parasites to humans, other pets and can re-infect pups being treated for intestinal parasites. Also, stool contains many harmful bacteria that should not be ingested, and they can pass these bacteria into their water, onto their toys, and onto us and other pets by licking, chewing or sharing items.
It's a good idea to call your vet and discuss reasons, treatments and deterrents. You'll want to rule out medical problems before anything else.
Commonly, this condition is treated with a combination of behavior management and supplements. These supplements aim to to render the stools of the animal who's poo is being eaten tasteless, odorless or undesirably tasting. It can take weeks or months to see an improvement, and this behavior is known to return and need to be addressed again in the future. Tip: We need to give the supplement to the animal who's poo is actually being eaten, not necessarily the dog who is eating the poo!
These supplements may contain different ingredients such as :
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Cellulase
Digstive Enzymes
Herbs
Here are some supplements that can help:
Comments