[Jamie R]

Hi,

My two dogs (male – Shiz-tzu/Maltese, female – Shih-tzu) just recently started eating poop in my yard. Not sure if it’s theirs or another animals. I’ve been sick with the flu so haven’t gotten around to picking up their poop in the back yard for the past week or so. Is this something I should worry about?

The female has a knack for eating sticks and mulch so I wouldn’t put eating poop past her. However, the male never eats things outside unless it’s a piece of food a squirrel dropped. He seems fine (ie normal appetite, drinking plenty of water, etc). I did recently start them on Grizzly Salmon Oil so I’m wondering if it has something to do with that?

Thanks in advance!

[theBCnut]

Some dogs just have this habit. Disgusting? Yes. Harmful? Only if there is something in the poop, i.e. reinfecting each other with worms.

[T]

I’ve had many clients tell me their pets eat poop. It occasionally seems to cause digestive upset, but surprisingly, many dogs don’t seem very bothered by it!

I would definitely try to stop them sooner rather than wait because it does seem to become a habit. Picking up the poop right away and telling them “leave it” is the easiest place to start. There are products (including pineapple juice) which you add to the food to make the poop taste bad enough they won’t want to eat it. You’d think it already tastes bad enough :).

Tabitha
naturalalternativesvet.com

[Author]

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