1/10/2024 0 Comments Pica disorder dogs“It’s usually boredom and too much space to do crazy things in while bored,” she says. She says that once she rules out any medical causes or nutritional deficiencies, she stocks up on hard chew toys that cannot break off easily, such as Nylabones, to keep her dogs busy and keep compulsive pica at bay. Marthina McClay, a certified dog trainer at Dog Training for People, has worked with rescue dogs with this condition. Pica can be a serious problem because items such as rubber bands, socks, rocks, and string can severely damage or block your dog’s intestines. Special training is required to curb this potentially dangerous behavior. Fortunately, with a little discouragement from their caretakers, puppies grow out of this behavior by the time they’re one year old.Īccording to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), compulsive behavior won’t go away on its own. This is called “compulsive pica.” The most common things dogs with compulsive pica eat are rocks, plastic bags and containers, clothing, and wooden objects.Ĭompulsive pica does not apply to puppies, who are naturally curious and explore the world through their mouths. The behavioral reasons are usually because when a dog is bored, he or she will seek out non-food items to consume. If your dog is eating inedible things, see your veterinarian first to rule out any physical causes for pica. The physical reasons consist of the dog’s diet lacking certain nutrients or diseases such as digestive disorders and parasitic infections also poisoning. There are two main reasons why grown dogs eat items that aren’t food: physical and behavioral. Without enough stimulation, they’re bound to grow listless and more likely to start eating things they ideally shouldn’t.There’s a word for this syndrome - pica. Try to devote more quality time to your pet and hopefully you should see some changes.Ī happy day for pets includes quality time with their human, where they play and stay engaged and connected with you. Neglected pets will have a tendency to develop this condition. Try planning a new diet for them with the help of a pet nutritionist for better guidance and watch out for any resulting changes. Once you’ve started the treatment, you cannot expect your pets to stop eating non-edible objects right away, can you? It means that for a while, you’ll have to pay closer attention to what your furry friends put into their mouths and stop them immediately when they’re eating something they shouldn’t be.Īs we’ve discussed in the last section, lack of proper nutrition could also cause Pica in your pets. You might even have to consult an animal behaviorist if the problem is psychological or behavioral. It’s best to book an appointment with your vet to figure that out and plan a treatment accordingly. The first step towards solving any problem for your pets is figuring out the cause and for this you will need a vet’s help. Here are some major medical problems in cats and dogs that could result in Pica: In many cases of Pica, vets have observed how infected dogs and cats suffer from deeper issues that form the root of this disorder. Lastly, not exercising enough is another reason why your pet (especially dogs) might develop Pica. When pet parents are unable to dedicate quality time to their pets they become bored, lazy, lonely, and stressed which fosters a habit of chewing on non-edible things. While Pica might seem like a purely physical problem on the surface, when you dig deeper, you might find a few psychological driving factors. If you’re not feeding your pets a balanced diet that meets their nutritional requirements, they tend to gain these nutrients from elsewhere and end up suffering from Pica. Whether your pet is a canine or a feline, the causes of Pica are more or less the same. Pica disorder in Dogs: What are the symptoms? Here are some other Pica symptoms you might notice in your cat:ĭistracted, appearing wound up, and relaxing only when they have something non-edible in their mouth. When they start chewing and swallowing these objects you should know it’s getting serious. In the initial stages of Pica, cats will only lick and suck on non-edible items. However, if they’re older than six months and still cling to those tendencies, it’s cause for concern. If your little kitty is younger than 3-4 months, you can consider this normal, as many kittens outgrow these tendencies as they grow older. If your cat is an Oriental breed, they might go for things made of fabric. The first and most obvious symptom of Pica is a tendency to eat non-edible items like cat litter, plants, rubber bands, shoelaces, electrical cords, and other objects made of paper, plastic, and wool. Among cats, this disorder is most commonly known to affect the Tonkinese cats, Burmese cats, Siamese cats, and other Oriental breeds.
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