My dog ate horse poop. Is it safe, or could she get very ill?

Hello. Yes, your pet can pick up parasites from eating manure, but for the most part, parasites are host specific. Your veterinarian may see some eggs on Costa's next fecal exam, but your heartworm preventative will eliminate the parasites, so this is not anything to be concerned about. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

There is not way to get him to stop except to restrict his access to those areas. This does have potential to spread bacterial and intestinal parasite infections so I would make sure he is on a regular dewormer (most heartworm preventions already include this) and monitor for any vomiting or diarrhea.

Apparently something that the cows eat smells good to your dog and therefore Tofy eats it. It is not usually a problem if dogs eat cow poop, but sometimes there could be detrimental bacteria in the poop which could make your dog sick. So it would be better not to let her eat the cow poop.

Ingestion of small quantities of Horse Chestnut tree may cause gastrointestinal signs (vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, etc), ingestion of larger amounts may be toxic and also result in neurological signs. There is no specific antidote for this and treatment is supportive with fluids, anti-vomiting/diarrhea medications, gastrointestinal protectants, etc. If she is otherwise acting normal then you could withhold food for 12 hours and then try a bland diet of chicken and rice and see if the diarrhea resolves. If the diarrhea continues and/or she has any additional signs then she should be examined by a vet for treatment. It would also be a good idea to find a way to keep her from eating Horse Chestnuts in the future.

It is likely that most of the caffeine and theobromine will have been digested and absorbed prior to defecation. I would monitor for any symptoms in the other dog to be on the safe side. As with any chocolate toxicity, it is best to have your veterinarian examine your dog to administer the most appropriate treatment. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

While it is not great that your dog ate poop, many dogs do so and survive! If your dog's vaccinations are up to date then it is unlikely he will catch one of the nasty viral diseases such as parvo from it. He may pick up intestinal parasites. But I would not worry so much about it and certainly would not kiss him now!

Yes, they can pick up up bacteria and certain parasites from eating horse feces, which would cause diarrhea. I'm not sure what the blood-work is for, but I would not expect it to confirm that he got runny stools from eating the horse feces. I hope that helps and Kia gets better soon.