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| Many Reasons Why Dogs Eat Stool |
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Stool eating (also known as "coprophagia") is common among many animals,
not just dogs. It is not well understood why some dogs eat stool. Some dogs may
have a genetic susceptibility to coprophagia. In these cases, stool eating starts
around four to 10 months of age and generally stops after one year.
Coprophagia may be caused by boredom, or it may be an attention-getting
device. Similarly, some dogs may eat their stool in order to please their owner (i.
e. poop and scoop). In some cases, the problem may have a medical basis,
such as a pancreatic insufficiency or a malabsorption syndrome, two conditions
which affect the proper digestion of food.
Some dogs may eat stool in an attempt to recover or retrieve an unabsorbed
nutrient in the faeces. For example, dogs fed diets high in starch and
carbohydrate and low in fat and fibre are more likely to eat stool, as are dogs
whose diets are primarily dry food or of poor quality.
Coprophagic dogs can be divided into two groups: those that eat their own
stools and those that eat the stools of other animals. Knowing which group your
dog falls into will help you determine the most suitable course of action. For
example, dogs that eat the stools of other animals are unlikely to be cured of this
habit except by preventing access to stools.
Coprophagia is very difficult to correct. First, you must try to clean up stools
promptly from the environment. This will make it less likely for your dog to get at
them. Prevent Boredom by increasing the activity level as needed (e.g. more
play or training time, increased running time). You should also make sure you
are providing a well-balanced, highly-digestible diet that meets their dog's
nutritional needs. Switching to a high-fat, fibre, and protein diet, and low-
carbohydrate may prove helpful.
Some immediate quick-fixes that have proven successful in the past include
sprinkling unseasoned commercial meat tenderizer or a commercial preparation
(FORBID™) on the dog food, or feeding canned pumpkin. Adding vegetable oil
to the diet at a dose of 15-ml/ 4.5 kg body weight may also help. Your
veterinarian should be consulted if your pet is coprophagic.
not just dogs. It is not well understood why some dogs eat stool. Some dogs may
have a genetic susceptibility to coprophagia. In these cases, stool eating starts
around four to 10 months of age and generally stops after one year.
Coprophagia may be caused by boredom, or it may be an attention-getting
device. Similarly, some dogs may eat their stool in order to please their owner (i.
e. poop and scoop). In some cases, the problem may have a medical basis,
such as a pancreatic insufficiency or a malabsorption syndrome, two conditions
which affect the proper digestion of food.
Some dogs may eat stool in an attempt to recover or retrieve an unabsorbed
nutrient in the faeces. For example, dogs fed diets high in starch and
carbohydrate and low in fat and fibre are more likely to eat stool, as are dogs
whose diets are primarily dry food or of poor quality.
Coprophagic dogs can be divided into two groups: those that eat their own
stools and those that eat the stools of other animals. Knowing which group your
dog falls into will help you determine the most suitable course of action. For
example, dogs that eat the stools of other animals are unlikely to be cured of this
habit except by preventing access to stools.
Coprophagia is very difficult to correct. First, you must try to clean up stools
promptly from the environment. This will make it less likely for your dog to get at
them. Prevent Boredom by increasing the activity level as needed (e.g. more
play or training time, increased running time). You should also make sure you
are providing a well-balanced, highly-digestible diet that meets their dog's
nutritional needs. Switching to a high-fat, fibre, and protein diet, and low-
carbohydrate may prove helpful.
Some immediate quick-fixes that have proven successful in the past include
sprinkling unseasoned commercial meat tenderizer or a commercial preparation
(FORBID™) on the dog food, or feeding canned pumpkin. Adding vegetable oil
to the diet at a dose of 15-ml/ 4.5 kg body weight may also help. Your
veterinarian should be consulted if your pet is coprophagic.
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