Why does a dog eat earth

Dogs often eat everything, but if the dog began to eat the earth, then the owner may be worried. However, among four-legged friends this is a fairly common phenomenon. When dogs eat dirt, grass, rocks, sticks, garbage, and other inedible things, they can be diagnosed with an eating disorder called “picacism” (from Latin pica, forty). If a dog eats only earth from the inedible, then, as Wag! writes, this may be a sign of a condition called geophagy. What is it – a strange habit or cause for concern?

Reasons why dogs eat soil

The urge to chew on the earth could be due to boredom or stress, or maybe the dog just smelled something tasty mixed with the earth. But eating dirt can also signal a serious health or nutritional problem, says the American Kennel Club (AKC). Compulsive geophagia can be a possible sign of one of the following problems:

Anemia

Anemia in dogs is a condition characterized by low levels of hemoglobin in the blood. According to CertaPet, anemia can be caused by an unbalanced diet. An anemic dog may have an instinctive urge to eat the earth in an attempt to compensate for the lack of nutrients causing the condition. The only way to reliably diagnose anemia is through a blood test.

Nutritional imbalance or mineral deficiency

Even without anemia, nutritional imbalances alone in a dog can lead to geophagy. And this may indicate that she is not getting the minerals necessary for health. She may have hormonal problems preventing the absorption of minerals and nutrients from food. Nutritional imbalances in healthy animals are very rare, so be sure to talk to your veterinarian about choosing the best food for your pet.

Stomach problems or gastrointestinal disorders

Dogs can eat the earth to soothe an upset stomach or a rumbling stomach. If a dog has stomach problems, they are more likely to eat grass, according to the AKC. It is possible that diligent eating of grass can lead to a small amount of earth entering the mouth.

Risks Associated with Dog Eating

If the dog eats the earth, you should immediately forbid him to do this, because such behavior can be dangerous to his health. Here are a few risks associated with geophagy in dogs, according to the AKC:

• Bowel disease that may require surgery.
• Ingestion of pesticides and other toxins.
• Suffocation.
• Damage to teeth, throat, digestive tract, or stomach due to ingestion of rocks or twigs.
• Ingestion of soil parasites.

When to Call a Veterinarian

Why does a dog eat earth? If she’s doing it out of stress or boredom, don’t be alarmed, but stop the behavior right away. However, if the dog eats earth and grass constantly or behaves differently than usual after that, you should contact your veterinarian. He will examine the dog for any health problems that may have provoked such actions. The doctor will check if the animal has any diseases that could be caused by eating the earth.

How to protect your dog from geophagy

If the cause of geophagy in a dog is a health problem or nutritional imbalance, treating the underlying condition or normalizing the diet should help. But if the dog has started eating dirt and it has become a habit, you can try the following strategies::

• Distract your dog whenever he starts eating dirt. You can do this with a verbal command or a loud sound, or offer her to chew on a toy.
• Keep your dog on a leash every time you walk so that you can lead him away from open ground.
• Remove indoor potted plants or place them well out of your pup’s reach.
• Remove houseplants in pots from the house or put them in a place inaccessible to the pet.
• Make sure your dog gets enough physical activity and mental stimulation to relieve stress so he doesn’t eat dirt out of boredom.

This can help your dog cope with any possible stressors in his life, such as a sudden change in routine or family composition, separation. Perhaps the pet just needs time to get used to it.

If none of the suggested strategies work, the help of a professional animal trainer or animal behaviorist may be needed.

Although geophagy is common among dogs, it is not safe to allow a pet to do so. The sooner action is taken to prevent this behavior and find out its causes, the better for the health of the dog.