Dogs eating feces is a disease

Dogs eating feces is a disease called coprophagia. This disease can be divided into three types: autocoprophagia, homocoprophagia, and heterogeneous coprophagia. The disease is caused by behavioral and medical conditions, and treatments vary depending on the cause.

Causes of dogs eating poop

1. Maternal behavior: After giving birth to puppies, the female dog will lick the genitals and anus of the puppies in order to stimulate the puppies to urinate and defecate. At the same time, it will eat feces to keep the environment hygienic, and to prevent the smell from leaking and to avoid being hunted by other animals. This is a normal maternal behavior.
2. Imitation behavior: When puppies see other dogs eating poop, they will also learn and develop the habit of eating poop.
3. Avoid punishment from the owner: If the dog has been punished by the owner for defecation problems before, the dog will think that defecation will bring punishment from the owner, so it will eat its own feces to eliminate the evidence. .
4. Nature: It is natural for dogs to eat feces. Some special smells in feces are what dogs like. The fermented excrement of herbivorous animals is very attractive to them. When they cannot eat such excrement Eat your own or other stool instead.
5. Attract the owner's attention: Dogs eating feces will attract the owner's attention. Although they will be scolded, in order to get the owner's attention, the dog will eat feces.
6. Express surrender: In a group, lower-class dogs will eat the feces of higher-class dogs to show submission.
7. Hunger: Some dogs have eaten a lot of food before, and after suddenly reducing the food, they will eat poop due to hunger.

Medical disease causes of dog poop eating

The following diseases may cause dogs to eat poop: pancreatic exocrine insufficiency; gastrointestinal parasites; bacterial overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract; inflamed intestines Disease; Megaesophagus or narrowing of the esophagus; Imbalanced diet, such as eating too much fat; Caused by drugs, such as barbiturates, progestins, steroids, etc.; Hyperthyroidism; Hyperadrenaline; Diabetes; Pancreatitis .