Almost every dog owner has experienced the dismay of catching Rover eating his own "poo." To humans, coprophagia, the act of eating solid waste, seems disgusting and wrong. Your dog may develop the habit for several reasons.
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Causes
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Coprophagia might develop from poor diet, causing the dog to seek nutrients from other sources, according to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. Boredom and the physical inability to absorb sufficient nutrition from food also cause coprophagia.
Types
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Dogs with coprophagia will either eat their own stools or eat the stools of other animals.
Time Frame
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Bored dogs or dogs with nutritional issues can develop coprophagia at any time, according to the CVMA. However, genetically predisposed dogs start eating stools in late puppyhood and stop at about the age of 1 year.
Diet
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The CVMA recommends a diet high in fat, fiber and protein and low in carbohydrates to reduce stool eating. Increasing activity or providing toys might help boredom-induced coprophagia.
Medications
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Once started, coprophagia is a difficult habit to break in your dog. Medications that make stools unpalatable can be added to the dog's food.
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