West Park Animal Hospital gets questions about pica in pets often, so we thought we’d dig in (ahem) to this topic.
Both coprophagia and pica in general can cause problems for pets, and sometimes are the result of an underlying medical condition. Coprophagy, the technical term for the eating of feces, is one of the most common forms of pica in dogs. Pica is the consumption of non-food substances. Unfortunately our pets just don’t seem to mind our protests, no matter how vehement! And most of the time, our reaction is one of dismay, bewilderment, or even disgust.
Has your pet ever eaten anything you don’t consider to be edible? Those of us with dogs, and some cats, can attest to this activity.
