Coprophagia is the pleasant term for stool/faeces eating. It may involve the pet consuming his own faeces or the faeces of other animals. This behaviour is more common among dogs and is probably more disturbing to the owners than it is harmful to their dog.
Although the idea of this activity is gross, there is actually a stage in a pet’s life when coprophagia is normal or expected. When a female dog or cat has a litter, she will deliberately consume the faeces of her puppies or kittens to hide their scent while the litter is vulnerable and sheltered in the den.
Coprophagia due to Medical Reasons
Intestinal malabsorption occurs as a result of a parasite infection or insufficient enzyme secretion leading to poor digestion and
therefore poor absorption of food. This results in the excretion of undigested food in the faeces making it palatable for other animals.
Other medical causes including any condition or treatment that might cause an increased or unusual appetite, severe pancreatic, or intestinal disorder, severe malnutrition from parasitic infestations or starvation. These cases are rare.
Coprophagia due to Behavioural Reasons
There are many behavioural causes for coprophagia.
Coprophagia is a common problem in some puppies. If left unsupervised, puppies may simply begin to play with, and even eat faeces as a playful or investigative activity. This usually stops when they reach adulthood.
Since coprophagia evokes quite a reaction from the pet owner, the behaviour may be further reinforced. The owner often gets angry with the pet and so the pet gets attention, even if it is negative attention. The pet then learns that he gets attention when he eats faeces.
Research suggests that dogs who are punished for incorrect elimination can convince themselves that pooping itself is bad, so they “hide” the evidence by eating it.
Other behavioural causes include boredom or mimic behaviour (e.g. a puppy seeing the older dog doing it or seeing the mother cleaning the den by eating the puppies’ faeces), anxiety or stress.
Remember that it is normal behaviour for dogs and cats to regularly clean their private parts, so faeces would not be considered distasteful.
Another Reaso
n for Coprophagia
Dogs seem to find cat faeces irresistible, making a beeline for the litter tray or patch in the garden after kitty has done his business. This is because
cats have a diet that is higher in fat and protein, making their faeces very palatable for dogs.
Health Implications
As mentioned before, coprophagia is more disturbing to the owner than it is harmful to their pet. There are some exceptions to this.
There is the possibility of ingesting internal parasites or infectious diseases such as giardia, coccidia or parvo virus. If the faeces has been lying for too long, it can become infested with fly larvae, foreign bacteria, fungi, etc.
How To Treat Coprophagia
The best way to prevent or correct coprophagia is by keeping the yard and/or kennel area free of faces. Clean up any faeces as soon as the pet has defecated. Most dogs will stop engaging in this nasty habit if the cycle is broken by picking up the faeces.
The most common treatment for coprophagia is by using something to make the faeces unpalatable. This can be done by putting something on the faeces, e.g. Tabasco sauce or chili powder (NOT on the pets food, but on the faeces itself!) or by adding something to the food of the pet who’s faeces is being consumed, e.g. Copronat spay by AfriVet.
In the case of the dog snacking on kitty’s faeces, it is best to have the litter tray placed in a space where it is not possible for the dog to get to it. This can be achieved by cordoning off the area around the litter tray, allowing a small gap for kitty to get in and out. If kitty does his business outside, it is a bit harder to prevent the dog from getting to it. You will have to puck up the cat faeces as soon as kitty is done.
Another option is to consult and Animal Behaviourist to help determine the source of the behaviour and working to correct it.
It is advisable to have your pet checked by a Veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
Always pick up your pet’s faeces regularly, especially when on a walk. This is not only the responsible thing to do as a pet owner, but also makes the route temptation free for the next dog walking by, who might be a poop eater.
If you have any further questions regarding Coprophagia, please consult your Veterinarian or an Animal Behaviourist.
