YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post

babbsiam44 · 01-11-2011, 08:00 AM

I found this and hope it can be helpful:

There are several possible causes of dogs eating their own feces or other non-food items, including malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, increased appetite, or conditions such as diabetes, or thyroid disease. Parasites can be another of the causes for this behavior.

Sometimes a dog will eat their feces if there are undigested articles of food in their stool. Mothers with newborns will also commonly eat the feces of their newborns. As such, puppies may eat feces as an observation of the mother's behavior or as part of exploration. In addition, a dog may eat feces as a response to recent punishment, to get attention or because it desires to clean its environmental area.

Medical Causes:

Inflammatory bowel disease
Diabetes
Intestinal parasites
Anemia
Increased hunger
Neurological disease
Vitamin deficiency
Malnutrition
Thyroid disease
Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will be looking to distinguish between medical and behavioral causes. A full physical examination will be recommended to rule out underlying medical causes. If it is not due to a medical condition, the veterinarian will conduct a full history on the dog, including its diet and appetite, handling practices, and information about its environment. This will assist the veterinarian in developing a proper treatment plan.

01-11-2011, 08:00 AM	#2
babbsiam44 YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,132	I found this and hope it can be helpful: There are several possible causes of dogs eating their own feces or other non-food items, including malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, increased appetite, or conditions such as diabetes, or thyroid disease. Parasites can be another of the causes for this behavior. Sometimes a dog will eat their feces if there are undigested articles of food in their stool. Mothers with newborns will also commonly eat the feces of their newborns. As such, puppies may eat feces as an observation of the mother's behavior or as part of exploration. In addition, a dog may eat feces as a response to recent punishment, to get attention or because it desires to clean its environmental area. Medical Causes: Inflammatory bowel disease Diabetes Intestinal parasites Anemia Increased hunger Neurological disease Vitamin deficiency Malnutrition Thyroid disease Diagnosis Your veterinarian will be looking to distinguish between medical and behavioral causes. A full physical examination will be recommended to rule out underlying medical causes. If it is not due to a medical condition, the veterinarian will conduct a full history on the dog, including its diet and appetite, handling practices, and information about its environment. This will assist the veterinarian in developing a proper treatment plan.