Question
I have a 4 months old puppy who is healthy and playful. For the past one week he started eating his own stool.
There is a place reserved for his #1 and #2, and he does those activities there only. I tried to constantly monitor him but I miss always. He is too sneaky.
I googled and I saw some products for this but I don't know whether they will work or good for his health.
Is there any suggestion to stop him from eating stool?
Thanks in advance.
Answer
Sounds like your dog is enjoying his home-made snack! Here's a few tips we recommend at the hospital:
Pick up stool as soon as it comes out, need to be a bit more watchful.
For-Bid - all the hospitals I've worked at carry this product, you'll need to use it for a week or 2 so the dog learns to avoid stools all together.
Canned pineapple - You only need a small amount in comparison to the size of the dog to change the taste of the stool so they don't eat it. Too much can cause GI upset.
- Small dog (0-10kg) - 1/8th of a cup per meal
- Medium dog (11-30kg) - 1/4 of a cup per meal
- Large dog (>30kg) - 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup per meal
These tricks may stop working once you stop using them but don't worry! It is gross but not harmful for the dog to eat his poo and also NOT an indicator that he's ill or in poor health, he just genuinely enjoys eating it. I know some dogs who only eat their poo in the winter as it's frozen (poopsicles).
He may grow out of it as he ages, though not always the case. Some dogs will eat their stools because they are hungry as well, growing dogs need to eat more while some breeds are genetically predisposed to ALWAYS be hungry.
Answered By - Rebecca RVT