Pica in dogs is a condition where a dog consistently eats objects that are not food items. The dog needs to ingest the item, not just chew on it, for it to be considered pica. Common non-nutritional items that dogs with pica ingest include metal, plastic, cloth, garbage, rocks, paper, dirt, and feces. Pica is typically considered a psychological, obsessive-compulsive habit, but it can be the result of a medical condition or poor nutrition. Coprophagia, which is the ingestion of feces, is the most common form of pica in dogs. In nursing female dogs, pica is common and is considered normal because the mother will ingest the feces of her puppy when she licks around the anus to stimulate a bowel movement. Coprophagia is also common in young puppies, but it is a behavior they typically grow out of as they age.
The causes of pica can be hard to determine, but can include gastrointestinal disease, anemia, liver disease, pancreatic disease, diseases causing excess appetite (such as diabetes), neurologic diseases, poor diet, being on medications such as prednisone, behavioral disorders such as anxiety, or a depraved home environment. Pica can even be a symptom of normal exploratory behavior. Most cases of pica in pets are behavioral in nature, but it’s important to rule out any medical conditions such as malnutrition, liver disease, anemia, and parasites. If a medical cause is identified, it usually either carries a poor prognosis or is expensive to fix.
Symptoms of pica in dogs include vomiting, diarrhea, straining to pass stool, loss of appetite, drooling, and lethargy. If there is a blockage in the gastrointestinal tract, symptoms may include straining during bowel movement, unable to move bowels, dark, tarry stools, burping, excessive drooling, and abdominal contractions. Pica can lead to medical problems including poisoning, dental problems, and gastrointestinal obstructions.
If you think your pet has pica, a thorough medical work-up is recommended. Along with a complete physical exam, this should include a fecal examination to check for gastrointestinal (GI) parasites and blood work to look for conditions such as anemia, liver disease, diabetes, or pancreatic disease. If the problem isn’t medical, but behavioral, pica can be managed. It’s important to keep your pet away from the non-food objects they have been ingesting, and leash walking your pet will help prevent them from ingesting foreign objects. If pica is due to behavior issues, your veterinarian may recommend increasing physical activities for your pet, and there are natural herb remedies that may help your dog with anxiety issues and have a...
