Dog eating poop

Ragmop53 · 10-23-2006, 07:41 PM

I have a problem with Jackson eating poop. I think it is all poop, his, hers, and maybe even a few racoons and possums. I have tried the Forebid and I guess it did not work. I just noticed him eating a tird this evening. What else can I do? Take him back to the vet and see if something else can be done? He hates his dogfood. But will eat it eventually. Is he not getting something in his diet? Help!

BTW he's on Purina One Puppy Chow. I have never had a dog do this before, yuck!

Thanks,

Ragmop53

leahb133 · 10-23-2006, 08:39 PM

I just caught my dog donig the same thing today-- in the cat's litter box!! Eww. caused her to throw up. My understanding is the dogs smell the undigested food which is why they eat it. I have no idea how to get them to stop. I can't make the litterbox un accesible becuause my cat has to use the bathroom!

blackgavotte · 10-24-2006, 02:03 PM

Okay, here I go again, some people are going to say this advice is off... but all I can do is share what worked for me, over what did not. I used to have a boarding kennel. One of the service dogs who came to live in my kennel full time, had a really serious poopeating habit, he had it when the government buyer bought him as an adult, and brought him into the program....to the point that finally he was becoming one sick dog. Finally the handler let me do what I knew worked. I added ACCENT to the dog's food. Yup, I know, there are downsides to that too... but ever seen a dog who is practically living on poop because he would immediately get his own and I had to really watch him because he would try to " hook " any other's dog turds that rolled his way... he also ate dogfood, but really relished poop. As I remember it, I had to add warm water and then add the ACCENT, this was a large beagle and I think it was about a generous teaspoon per day every day for about 5-6 days till the stuff was in his system enough that his bowels were throwing it off in his own poop and finally, he stopped eating his poop... after the first full treatment I used to add just a " smallish " teaspoon about every three days or so, that seemed enough... and you should have seen the health improvement in that dog. I also had once bought, sight unseen, one toy poodle who when she arrived, was the unhealthiest looking little soul I had ever seen... and I discovered immediately she was another fanatic poop eater, now I'm talking hard core. I had to use the Accent on her too, her system was so toxic when she first came, I figured the Accent was not as bad as eating feces. Her health also improved dramatically. These are just two extreme cases, and over the years I encountered many other dogs who have the problem. Accent worked every time, done the way I did it, whereas the vet product one person bought was exactly the same, only much more expensive. Dogs will always go for cat feces, they have to be kept out of the cat litter area. Good luck... I personally, never found any other product that worked like the Accent. Check with your vet of course, because I can hear the screaming now about the choice of the Accent, but is chronic, big time feces any better for the system? You may not want to choose this treatment if you can manage the dog better, not letting him get to where the fecal material is.

Curbside Prophet · 10-24-2006, 05:23 PM

I had a bassett hound once who was a poop eater, and my father solved it pretty quickly with red chili powder...kinda like ACCENT I guess. I'm sure there are better and healthier methods, none that I can recall at the moment, but I agree that you should check with your vet before employing one of these tactics.

Ragmop53 · 10-27-2006, 09:52 AM

I think I will try Accent. And I've been seriously thinking about changing his diet

Thanks

blackgavotte · 10-27-2006, 10:00 AM

How about letting us know, in a couple of weeks if not before, how you make out?

rmangers22 · 10-27-2006, 10:29 PM

Accent can have alot of sodium... from what I hear... I am not certain. However my vet told me to sprinkle Alum (also a seasoning) on their food and it will work. I tried this w/ my last dog who at my sister's cats poop and it worked. Alum I believe is used when pickling. renee

Dulce · 10-28-2006, 12:24 AM

Many dogs eat cat poop because cats eat fish, and the smell is alluring. That's exactly what it is. My Vet told me that. My dog goes nuts for fish. She's eaten my fish food many times.

The fish smell, and indigested junk is just an alluring smell to them. Dogs also rolls in poop

Ragmop53 · 10-28-2006, 03:19 PM

I did start both dogs back on their vitamins. And I have been watching Jackson...so far he hasn't eaten any poop or al least what I have observed of his activity outside.
This is gross so stop reading if your squemish, the female dog took a poop and Jackson was right there before it hit the ground and he ate it. OMG!
I just want to prevent him from making himself sick. Will keep my eye on him and pick up the poop, before I give him the Accent.

Thanks guys

Ragmop53

Ragmop53 · 10-28-2006, 09:50 PM

Well, Jackson is still eating poop. I also am changing his dog food slowly of coarse. Neutro for puppies. I think I read where on here that it is a good dog food. Will go to the vet on Monday and maybe blood work will show some deficienties.

Ragmop53

Ragmop53 · 11-08-2006, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ragmop53

Well, Jackson is still eating poop. I also am changing his dog food slowly of coarse. Neutro for puppies. I think I read where on here that it is a good dog food. Will go to the vet on Monday and maybe blood work will show some deficienties.

Ragmop53

His blood work is fine and stool results are normal too. Vet put him on Clomicalm 25mg daily. Haven't tried Accent yet but will as last resort.

Thanks everybody

Ragmop53

blackgavotte · 11-08-2006, 12:08 PM

Hi, how are you doing? Did you get the blood work done, or did you ever start the accent? I just wanted to clarify a couple of things. The accent is not a sodium, its main ingredient is MSG which is controversial, or at least was, since many people are apparently allergic. Type it in on Google to learn more. If Jackson does go on this regimen it will only stop him eating his own poop, not your female's, so you still have to monitor him for that. Possum and others of course, are pretty typical I guess for dogs to eat anyway, I haven't any experience with that, but all dogs go for cat feces. I would suggest you change the diet too.

Years ago Purina products were the only game in town, but now what I recommend for people is that they READ THE LABELS on the back of any new food they are going to, make sure that corn or wheat are not the first ingredients, and that by-products are not in the first several ingredients either, especially of the beef and chicken. Remember that Lamb is more fattening. He may well be needing more protein in his diet, or it may be that the feces is signalling him that it is still fairly undigested, seeming more like food to him than fecal. In either case a change of diet may help.

Sometimes what happens, is that puppies in the nest see their mothers cleaning up their feces and eating it, which is natural and necessary when the pups are very young, and most dogs make a switch in their little heads at the right time, to know the difference, and also the moms stop this cleaning up usually when the puppies start eating the solid foods so then the puppies don't see the behaviour continued and they forget about it. In his case, its possible there is nothing wrong with him at all as far as needing something more in his diet, but his brain just did not " get " that stage of development. If you don't stop the majority of this, his health will suffer. If your vet can't help you, and the change of diet doesn't help, please reconsider the accent, at least for his own poop. I know msg is a better choice that fecal material.

Ragmop53 · 11-13-2006, 05:37 PM

OMG! somebody just give me a bullet! Jackson is still eating the female corgi poop! His blood and fecal results are normal, for now I'm thinking. I really think this is all in his head, like you said Blackgovette, him seeing his mother eat puppy poop to keep the nest clean. He just has that personality I think. Anymore suggestion are welcome. I don't know if I want to start the Accent or not. The vet put him on Clonicalm or spelling maybe wrong, it's for seperation anxiety. He was also on Forbid which is MSG too, and that didn't work. But, my vet never told me if it's a female, he might not stop. I do hope this is not the case.

Thanks,

Ragmop53

blackgavotte · 11-13-2006, 10:54 PM

Just curious, when he was on the Forbid, how long did you have him on it, and how did you give it to him? I don't know that product but if its a powdered form of MSG it should stop him eating his own feces at least. But some people just shake the Accent on the dry food, so the dogs don't get it that way since the dry Accent just goes to the bottom of the bowl. You really have to add the warm water for the Accent to be fully dissolved and then stir it all round so he gets it. Is the clomicalm helping at all? You just may end up doing serious monitoring and cleanup and controlling the environment, because feces eating, hard core now I'm talking about, is not something that should continue. Good luck again.

Curbside Prophet · 11-13-2006, 11:59 PM

I've also heard that a tablespoon of spinach or pineapple in your dog's diet can stop the behavior if he is eating his own stool. Something about the end product that discourages them from continuing the behavior. But you may want to consult your vet before trying this.

Annabellelee3 · 11-14-2006, 03:42 AM

Hi it is normal for dogs to do that i know a couple of dogs eating their poop and mine also do the same.i wonder if they are doing it because they are hungry like my dog he is a boy and hardly ever eats his dinner and when he goes outside he looks for poop and eats it. Please write back and tell me how you go. Bye!

Ragmop53 · 11-14-2006, 07:24 PM

Blackgovette the Forbid is powered form and the vet said sprinkle 1/4 of the packet/enevlope on his food and 1/4 packet on her food. I did this for about two weeks. Clonicalm apparentaly isn't working cause he is still eating poop. He is not on it for seperation anxiety. Maybe I need to get more Forbid and dissolve it like you said. I really hate giving them this, especially the older corgi, cause she had a giant cell epithlus sp (tumor) in the roof of her mouth about 2 years ago. Since there is a lot of controvisay over MSG has it caused cancer in dogs too?

Prophet, I think he is only eating her poop. The way he charged at her when she was potting, kinda sickens me.

Annabellelee3, that is exactly the way Jackson does it. He hates his food and goes out and eats rabbit, racoon, possum, bird, I guess any kind of poop. I'm currenty trying different dog foods, he's back on vitamins. Solid Rock gave him gas, Eagle Pak didn't like, Innove was ok, I think both corgi's really liked Canadied (sp).

I think what will really work and be the safest way to go and cheapest is behavior modification. Meaning (me) getting my b*&t up and letting them out and picking up poop when it hits the ground and telling him harshly "NO"

Thanks Ragmop53