The American Beagler Forum

I have a three year old female that eats the poop from her kennel,If I see her I'll give her a shot of water with the hose,I understand that something is missing from her diet,But what?? and What is it that ya'll give to stop this.

I've seen stud horses do this also, i just think that their's some natural sh--t eaters in this world.

I heard some where that if you put pineapple chunks in there dog food that it makes their poop taste bad to them and they will quit
eating it. Not sure if this works but it's a cheap fix if it does.

I am no expert, but I believe a lot of it is due to diet. I believe dog food in general is not what it used to be regardless of brand. I also believe that a lot of it is due to boredom and anxiety. I do not know what can be supplemented in the diet to quit this nasty behavior. However, years ago I once heard a vet say that there is only one way to cure this behavior, turn your head.

They make some stuff that you add to their food that makes it taste bad( go figure) and they will stop, you can find it in about any dog supply magazine.

i've heard that the pineapple will def work

I was always told that they can sense when there is undigested nutrients in their poop so they just re-eat it. My opinion is, Let her eat, there will be less for you to pick up and either way doesn't cause any harm to the dog!

miner49er wrote:They make some stuff that you add to their food that makes it taste bad( go figure) and they will stop, you can find it in about any dog supply magazine.

seem like it would already taste bad don't it
Donald

I have all of my dogs off the ground so they dont have all that contact with the poo and then I see her eating the stuff,I play with these dogs as well as my 5 year old daughter and it just kinda gross's me out to think shes going give me or my daughter a big lick on the face after she ate her crap!!

I've saw tv commersals of people kissing their pet dogs on the mouth and letting their dog lick them on their face, and you know how a dog cleans his private part's. Makes me about puke.

as long as they are huntin and runnin a rabbit the way i like,and are competitive enough to win,i dont care if they eat poop or not i dont let them lick on me any way,besides thats just less i got to clean up,i would rather them eat poop then go out and roll in a dead deer thats been layin there for a month in the heat and get dead deer funk all in there shock collar that i have to touch to get off,but they will do that to.we just got to face it those dang dogs that we love to run and keep are just flat out NASTY.............

south mtn beagles wrote:I have all of my dogs off the ground so they dont have all that contact with the poo and then I see her eating the stuff,I play with these dogs as well as my 5 year old daughter and it just kinda gross's me out to think shes going give me or my daughter a big lick on the face after she ate her crap!!

If face licking concerns you cause of the dog eating it's own poop then I've got some news for you...........eating their own poop or cleaning their own butt, it's the same thing. People have been getting licked in the face for years and I've never heard of anyone dying from it..........is it gross.....absolutely.

POOP = free dog treats

The worst thing about a dog eating it's or a kennel mates crap is that if either have intestinal issues (worms or coccidia) then they will reinfect them selves. Sure makes deworming a pain plus it is a pretty unsightly thing to see. The tablets that are supposed to break this habit have not worked for me.

Post from January on the same subject.


Re: Can this be healthy??

Postby mdbeagler on Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:59 am
COPROPHAGIA (EATING STOOL)
Coprophagia is the name given to the habit of eating stools—either the dog’s
own or another animal’s. Cats’ stools seem particularly tempting to dogs.
Most dogs with coprophagia are well nourished and show no evidence of a
nutrient deficiency that would account for the compulsion to eat stools.
These individuals may have acquired a taste preference for stools beginning in
puppyhood. Other reasons sometimes suggested for stool eating include boredom
and confinement in close quarters, such as a kennel. Scolding the dog for
a housetraining accident may also cause him to want to eat the evidence.
Whatever the cause, once established, the habit is difficult to break.
A minority of dogs have a medical reason for coprophagia. Dogs with malabsorption
syndrome, in particular, have a ravenous appetite and eat stools in
an attempt to acquire additional calories.
in dogs on corticosteroid therapy and those with Cushing’s syndrome, diabetes
mellitus, hyperthyroidism, and intestinal parasites.
Stool eating is undesirable, not only for aesthetic reasons but because
ingesting animal feces can bring in intestinal parasites. Dogs who eat large
amounts of horse manure can develop severe vomiting and diarrhea. Dogs
who eat the feces of large animals that were wormed recently may develop
toxicity from the worm medication residue present in the stools.
Treatment: Veterinary examination is warranted to check for parasites and
other medical problems. Management includes removing stools from the
environment as quickly as possible, making cat litter boxes inaccessible to
dogs, and distracting the dog by providing extra exercise and interaction with
pets and humans. Providing suitable chew toys may also help prevent
coprophagia caused by boredom. Sometimes, giving the dog canned food to
provide a similar texture may help.
A number of ingredients have been suggested as additives to the dog’s food
to improve digestion or to render the stools unappetizing. A partial list
includes meat tenderizers, crushed pineapple, Viokase, B-complex vitamins,
sulfur, glutamic acid, monosodium glutamate, sauerkraut, and canned pumpkin.
Forbid is a frequently recommended product made from alfalfa that gives
the stool a disagreeable odor and taste. There are no scientific studies to prove
or disprove the effectiveness of any of these additives, but anecdotal reports
suggest they may be of benefit in some cases.

mdbeagler