In the case of Pica, ingesting things like rocks, chalk, fabric, sand, string and plastic can lead to gastric upset, vomiting, diarrhea and even worse- intestinal obstructions. However, ingesting feces from another animal can expose your pet to a number of different intestinal parasites. Okay, we all know poop eating is gross-but is it dangerous? Coprophagia, though disgusting is usually not harmful.
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Ever wonder why? The typical feline diet contains a higher quantity of protein than dog food making their feces a protein-rich energy bar for dogs. Everyone knows cat poop is a dog delicacy. Most puppies outgrow this habit but some do not. The things moms do for their babies! But moms are not alone young puppies can also exhibit coprophagia. Not surprisingly, they often ingest puppy poop in the process. Moms lick their puppies’ bottoms to clean them and to stimulate their puppies to eliminate. In fact, coprophagia is considered normal behavior for canine mothers. However, not all animals with pica or coprophagia have an underlying medical condition. Nutitional deficiencies, electrolyte imbalances and starvation can lead to pica and coprophagia. Yes, poop eating! So why do so many dogs seem to delight in dining on these odd, and in the case of feces, disgusting things? Have you ever wondered why dogs eat dirt? Or why some have the disgusting habit of eating poop? The abnormal habit of ingesting non-nutritive items like dirt, sand, clay, paper, chalk, fabric or plastic is referred to as pica.Ĭoprophagia refers to the ingestion of feces and is the most common form of pica in dogs.