Eating Faeces

greyflintstone · Master

Eating Faeces

FAJ · Enlightened One

Hi, Sharon

Eating poop is usually (but not always) a sign of some sort of nutritional deficiency, which probably then becomes a habit. Pearly tries to eat her own poo from time to time, usually if she's had something very meaty with her dinner like mince or steak - she must think that there's still some nutritional value in it so she goes back for a second pass. If we don't clear it up from the garden right away, the dirty little minx will pick up a bit and try to bring it into the house to munch on!

The only thing that works for us is clearing up right away. Is that possible? Or does Barney do it when you're out on walks? There is a tablet called "Deter" that's meant to stop it but I don't know whether these work.

Hope you manage to get Barney sorted out soon.

Fiona

Dave · Enlightened One

Hi Sharon, yeah like Fiona says eating poo usually indicates summit missing in the diet, whats Barney being fed on at the mo?

Calatria · Master

Sharon, you have my sympathy. I hope that, with Barney, a change of food does the trick but unfortunately it's not always the food to blame. Our Belle eats faeces no matter what she's being (legitimately!) fed. We're now feeding her on Burns dried food, and still she eats faeces whenever she gets the chance. Which is seldom now, since she's no longer left in the backyard unattended - we wouldn't dare, she can whip something off the ground in the blink of an eye. Clearing up any mess immediately is the only thing that works for us.

I've never heard of any pills that can stop this. Does anyone have any info on "Deter"?

Shellgaz · Old Hand

found this online.....

Deter
Deter has been formulated to stop puppies and dogs from eating their own faeces. Coprophagia (the official name for eating faeces/dog waste) is common in dogs. Although it's a natural dog habit, it's something that most dog owners find offensive.
Deter tablets are chewable, safe and effective - just give them to your dog as instructed on the 60 tablet box.
How do they work?
They contain Brewers Yeast and microencapsulated red chilli oil, the microencapsulted chilli oil doesn't break down till it reaches the lower gut and so adds an offensive taste to their feaces. It's important that you don't try and stop your dog from trying to eat it's faeces - allow your dog find out for itself that the taste is no longer a pleasant one.!!!

Here is the web page if you are interested....

http://www.ultimateanimals.co.uk/cgi-bin/ss000001.pl?SS=deter&PR=-1&TB=A&SHOP=

-- Edited by Shellgaz at 23:43, 2005-11-01

Calatria · Master

Thanks, Shellgaz. I think it's worth trying, only I'll have to give it to both dogs - Belle isn't fussy whose mess she eats. Gulp.

greyflintstone · Master

Barney is currently on Burns "fish and rice" food - it seems to be working well with his dodgy tum. As I say, it's the eating of Freddy's poo that concerns me more - could he end up with the runs again from eating "processed food"!! I think I'm going to take him to the vets on Friday night and ask him to check him out.

As much as possible, we are trying to get out and clean up the mess asap - but when he's literally catching it falling out of Freddy's bum, it's a bit more tricky! He doesn't bother with Wilma's at all - and yet her and Freddy are on the same stuff. I've read that it could be a dominance issue - anyone have any thoughts on that one?! Freddy is top dog - he's been making that well known recently. Is Barney trying to push himself back up the ladder, or is it a submission thing?!

Shellgaz · Old Hand

I am glad that I am in charge in my house.... cos I wouldnt eat anyones poo for a million quid lol!

greyflintstone · Master

I took the beloved Barney to the vets yesterday. He seems to think its unlikely to be something missing from his diet because he's on the Burns. He thinks Barney has probably just got into the habit of eating Freddy's poo. He's given us some of the Deter pills to try and see how we get on with those. We need to put them in both Barney and Freddy's food. If, however, they don't work, he said that there are a couple of other options that we can look at.

It's hard not telling him to leave the poo alone - he's got to eat it to realise how disgusting it really is now!! In fact, we almost need to go the other way and encourage him to try it!! I'll keep you updated on his progress!!

Sharon

emma · Guru

sharon,

I really hope the deter helps. It has been interesting reading the posts on this because my Mum-in-Law has the same troubles with her cocker spaniel puppy. She has tried everything but had not heard of the tablets. I have passed on the deter name to her too in the hope that it sorts little Dolly out too!

Best of Luck Emma,Tig and Chad x

Shellgaz · Old Hand

Saffron ate her poo!!! Its made me feel really ill! Its all this talk about others doing it! Honestly I thought I was going to throw up! I told her good and proper its not on.......She is showing her true colours now the bugger! Watching her like a hawk now when she is out and bellowing 'wanna treat???' as soon as she goes. Good job she likes hot dogs more than poo!

greyflintstone · Master

Shell,

I know it's disgusting seeing them swallow that poo down whole, but as my vet said to me on Friday night "it's not waste, it's salami to them"!!!!! If Barney didn't have such a dodgy tummy I probably wouldn't be as bothered!!

Is there any reason why she would suddenly start to eat her poo? Has her diet changed or anything? (Hark at me, I'm the poo eating expert now!!) The only thing I can suggest is that, if possible, you get it cleaned up asap - that way you beat her to it!

Shellgaz · Old Hand

I don't know why she ate it... her diet has not changed and nothing has happened to upset her. (well apart from going for her vaccinations at the vets the day before - but she seemed ok and didn't get distressed being there) She is in heat just now which might have something to do with it, but she hasn't done it since. Could be that she didn't enjoy it! I didn't tell her off, just explained that its minging and she shouldn't do it. P00 = Salami? I shall never be able to look at salami in the same way again!

sha · Master

Hi There

Please dont worry! Dogs receive valuable nutrients from material that we humans find totally repugnant. Things like vomit, faeces and decaying flesh.

Eating faeces (or as vets call it "Coprophagy") may seem a revolting habit but dogs find it perfectly normal. Faeces contain the dead and living bodies of millions upon millions of bacteria. This makes an excellent source of very high quality protein, essential fatty acids, fat soluble vitamins (espesh Vit K), the whole range of "B" vitamins, many different minerals because of the soil in it and a host of other nutritional factors including anti-oxidants, enzymes and also valuable fibre.

Many dogs that eat commercial pet foods, particularly dry dog food, eat faeces to stay healthy - usually their own. Cats droppings are also very popular!

If you do not want your dog to eat faeces then you must provide in the diet all the nutrients which are currently missing from your dogs diet, and which faeces supplies.

To replace faeces requires a team of ingredients like yoghurt, brewers yeast, eggs, polyunsaturated oils, crushed raw vegetables and a source of fibre.

If you are certain your dog has a healthy well balanced diet, sometimes it can be caused purely by greed! (as in the case of my 1 year old Whippet!!!!) I mix crushed pineapple (the tinned type in its own juice!)into my dogs food at mealtimes. Pineapple, once digested in the gut, makes faeces taste disgusting - even to dogs!!!! Try this - it works!!!

Hope this helps a wee bit - even if it just shines another light on the subject

Best of luck!

Sha

FAJ · Enlightened One

When Pearly first ate her poo not long after we got her, I was utterly repulsed and freaked out - she was going straight back to GAL!!! Now, as time goes on, and I perform such things on a regular basis as pulling grass and other stuff out of her bottom and Harry's, wiping piddly legs, cleaning up Pearly's bottom and legs when she had projectile diarrheoa, raking through piles of sick to see what they've brought up, etc, suddenly the odd munch on a bit of poo doesn't seem so bad!

Shellgaz · Old Hand

I love Saffron and wouldnt get rid of her because she eats poo.... just would prefer her not to lol. I guess its just one of the things that I will have to get past. Like you say I will probably have to deal with far worse!

FAJ · Enlightened One

Shellgaz wrote:

I will probably have to deal with far worse!

And we'll all be here waiting to hear about it!!!!

Shellgaz · Old Hand

lol! and I bet you will laugh at me too!! Ah well, I guess it goes with the territory! xx

greyflintstone · Master

Well, we've been a couple of weeks with the Deter pills through Barney & Freddy's food (both meals each day). He's stopped eating his own poo, but it's made no difference whatsoever to him munching on Freddy's! The instructions say that if there's no improvement then the dose can be doubled - done that, still no difference! We even tried coating Freddy's poo in tobasco sauce (you could smell it in the air!) - sure it made his tongue nip, but did it stop him? Did it hell!!!!

We're now using the trusty waterpistol! and so far this seems to be having an effect - especialy when it's cold outside, cos he don't like that!!

Will keep you updated on the water therapy treatment!!

Sharon

Suzanne · Guru

bleeeeeee - poo & tobasco......just add brussel sprouts & you have my top 3 gag guarantees! ;)

Hope the water pistol works Sharon! Good luck

greyflintstone · Master

Ssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Don't speak too loud ........

For every 6 times Barney goes outside now, he walks past the poo 4 times! Woo-hoo!!! Long live the water pistol!!