Pica is an appetite for non-food items, when a pet consumes substances that are not meant to be eaten (fabric, stones, plastic, polyethylene, soil, etc).
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Eating inedible things may cause health problems.
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It is a common misconception that dogs know what nutrients exactly they are lacking and that they only eat things that their body is craving.
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This is not true! This way dogs might eat something that will cause a blockage in the digestive tract.
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This problem is not well-researched. But there are several reasons that cause pica in dogs. One of the fully proven ones is a disorder(s) in the functioning of the organism.
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Namely, vitamin, mineral and micronutrient deficiencies (natrium, chlorine, calcium, etc).
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Pica can also be caused by a tapeworm infection. Helminths produce toxins that cause the problem.
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This disorder is caused by other infectious diseases too – for instance, rabies.
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One of the most common types of pica is consumption of feces. This disorder is called coprophagia, and it causes a lot of worrying to dog parents. Undoubtedly, not the most pleasant phenomenon.
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The reasons for coprophagia are exactly the same as for pica in general.
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That is why the first thing you should do if you notice such behavior in your dog is contact your veterinarian.
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This is the first step in treating pica – addressing the reason and working with it. Unless that that is done, the situation will remain the same.
