Many dogs occasionally eat grass or dirt on a leisurely evening walk. This is usually unproblematic and even helps your digestion. However, it can also lead to dangerous consequences for your dog’s health.
This article explains how you understand why your dog likes to eat soil and when you should see the vet about it.
In a nutshell: When your dog eats dirt
Many dogs eat dirt to aid in their digestion. Pure boredom or gluttony are also harmless reasons. However, it can also be a sign of excessive stress or result from poor posture.
Problems arise primarily from what may be contained in the soil: fertilizer, poison, parasites or objects. This can make your dog seriously ill.
dr That’s why Sam offers you veterinary advice 365 days a year to be able to provide you with information and help at any time. This saves you nerves, time and money at the vet!
Why your dog eats dirt
Most reasons for soil eating are harmless and can be eliminated quickly if you recognize them.
1. Nutritional problems
Soil is rich in minerals, so dogs often make up for a nutrient deficiency with a snout of forest soil. The earth supports the intestinal flora and stimulates digestion.
This deficiency can be caused by inferior feed or after diarrhea. More sensitive dogs also sometimes use soil to get used to a diet change.
On the other hand, street dogs or dogs that are poorly kept and not used to regular feeding often eat dirt for fear of hunger: they never know when the next meal will come.
And some dogs are simply gourmets: Insects, faeces and sometimes even trodden-down human food leftovers can be found in the soil – a feast for the dog.
2. Health Issues
A disturbed acid-base balance is caused by internal diseases such as kidney problems, but stress or food intolerance also throw the body off balance. The earth regulates overly acidic dogs excellently.
It also binds metabolic waste and small amounts of toxins that get into the gastrointestinal tract through food or environmental toxins.
Dogs with dental problems eat dirt to relieve gum disease or to loosen loose teeth with small rocks. However, veterinary treatment works far better and faster.
3. Behavioral Problems
As is so often the case, some dogs are simply bored. If the walks are already too familiar to them and no longer offers any stimulus for their nose and head, they devote themselves to the next best thing.
And puppies in particular, the world can hardly offer enough stimuli to satisfy their curiosity. Like human children, they first put everything in their mouths to check whether it is edible. Everything is new and exciting to them, including the texture and taste of earth.
But not only boredom, dogs also often compensate for stress with excessive eating or licking. This can escalate into true obsessive-compulsive disorder, and often occurs as a result of poor posture in isolation or confinement.
Is It Unhealthy For Dogs To Eat Dirt?
There is no blanket answer as to whether it is unhealthy for dogs to eat dirt. Because pure, clean soil in small amounts is even health-promoting for the dog’s digestion.
However, dirt from the roadside also contains a lot of things that cause problems for the dog, such as worm eggs in fresh faeces.
Depending on the ingredients, fertilizers and pesticides cause mild to life-threatening poisoning. In addition, they can not only be found directly on freshly fertilized fields, but also on neighboring meadows and in puddles within easy reach.
Since fertilizer and pesticides also stick to the paws of dogs that do not eat soil and are absorbed by licking, you should give these areas a wide berth during the fertilizing season!
Poisoning also occurs through the trampled remains of poisonous plants, eg yellow daffodils, lily of the valley or meadow hogweed.
Important:
Although it is a punishable offense, dog haters distribute poisoned bait or razor blades along the way. If a careless dog eats it with a piece of earth, it can be fatal!
Poisoning is easy to spot: If the dog begins to tremble and salivate excessively, which may even be bloody or frothy, it should be taken to the vet immediately. He needs to vomit and be taken care of quickly.
Your dog will probably show pain if the mouth is injured by debris or sharp stones. Minor wounds will heal on their own, but you should still have your veterinary office check the wounds.
So that you are prepared for every eventuality and receive competent and fast help at all times, Dr. Sam gives you the opportunity to immediately arrange an online consultation with a veterinarian. Make a free initial contact via WhatsApp now!
What to do if your dog eats dirt
First, check whether there are any harmful substances or objects in the surrounding soil.
You can usually smell fertilizer or pesticides clearly, but not many other things. So don’t feel safe if you don’t see anything. Remains of poisonous plants or worm eggs are not visible to you.
Pay attention to your dog’s behavior as the walk continues. If he shows symptoms of poisoning, go to a veterinarian’s office immediately!
Check your dog’s gums for color and color intensity at home to determine a health cause. Pale, yellow or dark gums indicate inflammation and make a vet appointment in the next few days essential.
If no cause is apparent, speak to your vet about the problem. He can do a blood count to rule out a nutrient deficiency.
You should definitely train your dog not to eat anything by the wayside. Offer him more work to take his mind off of Earth.
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Conclusion
There is a high health risk when dogs eat soil. You should therefore find out the cause and offer your four-legged friend alternatives.
This can be more nutritious care or veterinary treatment for pain or dental problems. More activity on the walks often works wonders against unwanted behavior.
More information can be given by Dr. Give Sam if your dog consistently eats dirt. Veterinary help is always just a phone call away, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.