Pica disorder in dogs, explained

When you adopt a dog, you basically sign an invisible clause that acknowledges you may lose things like your earphones or favorite sneakers. Dogs let their curiosity get the better of them — especially puppies who like to explore the world through their teeth. Chewing on objects is one thing, but ingesting items that aren’t food may indicate a deeper problem. Pica is a disorder where dogs regularly eat objects that aren’t food. This problematic behavior can have fatal consequences, so it’s important to talk about it with your vet so you can solve the problem as soon as you notice it.

Pica refers to when a dog habitually eats non-food items that they shouldn’t. They may go after the same objects or materials, or may compulsively eat practically anything they encounter. Fabric, toilet paper, carpet, and fast food wrappers are all common things that end up in the stomach of a dog with pica.

It’s important to note that not all dogs who eat random stuff have pica. Some odd feeding habits in dogs are actually normal. For example, they sometimes eat grass when they’re bored. Mommy dogs sometimes eat their puppies’ poop (known as coprophagia). 💩 Teething puppies will sometimes eat or chew household items to help alleviate pain.

Pica is most commonly a psychological issue. Anxiety, stress, and boredom often result in destructive behaviors like pica. Lengthening your dog’s walks and giving them a new toy to stimulate their mental energies can keep them safely engaged in healthy activities.

If your dog is displaying signs of anxiety or aggression, it may also help to enroll a veterinary behaviorist or dog trainer. They can get to the root cause of your dog’s behavioral issues or separation anxiety and write out a detailed training plan to help your pup.

If your dog’s mental health does not improve, your veterinarian may recommend that you put your pup on medication to calm their nerves.

Certain medical conditions or nutritional deficiencies can also be responsible for pica, such as iron deficiency. If pica is caused by a medical condition, your vet can prescribe medication that treats the condition. If the pica is caused by a nutritional deficiency, your vet might need you to give a detailed list of the food your dog eats to determine if they’re eating a healthy, balanced diet.

In the meantime, you’ll have to watch your pup to make sure they don’t have access to any non-edible items.

Pica manifests in short and long-term consequences for dogs. For example, eating hard or sharp objects can break your canine’s teeth. Most dangerously, pica puts your dog at risk of gastrointestinal blockages. Here are some symptoms to watch out for:

• Vomiting. Eating something bad results in vomit…hopefully. If your dog can’t throw it up, the foreign object can get stuck in their intestines.
• Diarrhea. Changes in your dog’s bathroom habits can signify pica, especially if they have chronic diarrhea or their stool is bloody or tar-like.
• Inability to poop. Straining to poop — formally known as tenesmus — can indicate a blockage. Always call your vet if your dog fails to produce a bowel movement for longer than 2 days.
• Broken teeth. Puppies lose their baby teeth around the time they’re 3-6 months old. However, if your adult dog suddenly has broken or missing teeth, it’s probably not good.
• Bloated belly. A swollen tummy may be a sign of a life-threatening condition called gastric dilatation volvulus, which is when their stomach twists. Call your vet right away if your dog’s stomach suddenly appears bloated.
• Gagging or attempting to vomit. Retching is normal for dogs with pica as they try to throw up the inappropriate things that they ate.

If your dog has eaten something dangerous, the first thing your vet will do is to remove the object or help it pass. This may include intravenous fluids (IVs) if your dog ate something toxic. If your dog ate a foreign object that’s not intrinsically poisonous but isn’t likely to pass on its own, your vet will utilize X-rays to find the foreign object and may perform surgery if necessary to remove it.

Once your pet is stable, they’ll work to find the underlying cause of pica. They’ll likely order a complete blood count (CBC) to test for nutritional deficiencies and underlying diseases that can influence the formation of the disorder, such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism.

Diagnosing the underlying cause helps you and your vet come up with a treatment plan for your dog’s pica. For example, if your vet discovers that your dog has a nutritional deficiency, they’ll rectify the situation by recommending a different food or adding supplements to their diet. Pain can also lead some dogs to develop pica, so treating an undetected injury can help.

If your vet can’t find a medical reason for your dog’s disorder, they might recommend more exercise and stimulating playtime so your dog doesn’t get bored. They may also prescribe anxiety medication if your dog displays stressful behaviors or suffers from intense separation anxiety.
Response substitution training can help your dog to learn an alternative behavior when they feel like eating inappropriate objects. This multi-step process may take a lot of time and patience, but it can save their life.

In the meantime, unless you’re supervising your dog, keep them in a secure area away from targets like laptop cords, pillows, and other things they might be tempted to eat. Feeding your dog at regular times can also curb any food-related anxiety. The couch cushions may lose their appeal once your dog realizes they’ll have a belly full of actual food at a set time every day.

Pica isn’t a sign of bad dog parenting. It can have many underlying causes, and in some cases, even more than one. However, it’s a serious issue that should always be immediately addressed. Taking your dog to the vet is your best bet so that they can find the underlying cause and fix the situation quickly.