My dog eats poop and cow dung. How to stop it & prevent worms?

Keeping Beast away from the cow poop is a good first step to stopping him from eating it. If he isn't being monitored he should be kept out of areas where it is available. If you're with him and he starts to eat it, calling him off and distracting him with another job to do or a treat or appropriate chew instead is best. As cow poop can carry bacteria and parasites, it is a good idea to make sure Beast gets regular fecal exams done to watch for any potential infections.

For helping to eliminate purely behavioral causes of coprophagy, a three step method can be used: 1. Decreaseattractivequalityoffeces • Change in diet can oftentimes be beneficial, switching to a brand with a lower protein content to lower the amount of protein excreted into the feces (which the dog finds palatable). • Commercially available products added to food can decrease the palatability of the feces. Examples include: For-bid®; Deter®; and meat tenderizers. Consult with your veterinarian as to the proper dose to use. 2. Preventexpressionofbehavior • Being present and scooping up the feces immediately is a good way to prevent this behavior. • Keeping the dog on leash when taking him/her out to eliminate can help the owner physically prevent the dog from engaging in coprophagy. • Controlled feeding time allows the owner to predict time of defecation and be more vigilant when watching the dog. • Preventing access to other pet’s litterboxes or cleaning them frequently. • Spray collars, such as citronella can be used to deter the dog as well. • “Booby-trapping” feces, by adding hot sauce or “bitter apple” flavor INTO the feces, so the dog associates bad tastes with its feces. • Not rewarding the behavior by ignoring the dog when it consumes its feces, despite how difficult it may be for the owner. 3. Rewardpost-eliminationbehavior • Positive reinforcement immediately after good behavior (so owner must be present). Keep the dog on leash, and if the dog does not go for its feces, reward it with food and praise. Also, if the dog does try to reach for its feces, divert its attention to another simple task (such as asking to “sit” or “shake paw”) and reward it for performing the task. Health Concerns: As with all pets, regardless of whether or not the dog is coprophagic, owners should be careful about washing their hands at appropriate times, such as before eating, after handling feces, etc. Cleanliness is the first line of defense against potential disease transmission, which can include intestinal parasites. Coprophagy can be very distasteful to owners and can be a public health concern. If this occurs, consider seeing your local veterinarian to rule out any possible diseases as the cause and to develop a plan to help eliminate the behavior.

This is a common problem in dogs, and it is gross but not abnormal. There are a few things you can do to stop this behavior, like feeding a supplement that sometimes makes the stool taste bitter (see a link below). The best prevention would be to keep the feces picked up so that Kala doesn't get the opportunity to eat them. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/naturvet-coprophagia-stool-eating-deterrent-dog-chews Here is some more information on coprophagia: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1613

I would recommend taking a fecal sample to your local vet. That way they can look at it under the microscope and determine if she has worms and what dewormer she needs. A basic over the counter dewormer only really deworms again roundworms and hookworms. If Sandy has whipworms or coccidia she will need other types of dewormer. Eating the cow poop is most likely behavioral issue. I would recommend trying to keep her on a leash and away from this type of material. If you cannot than work on basic commands like no and drop it . that way if she starts to eat it you can deter her from it.

There is nothing "wrong" with Maria's dining habits--we humans find it gross, but dogs look upon their piles as gourmet meals! Maria is far from alone in this behavior. The best way to stop the habit is to clean up after her immediately, every time she goes. You can also try sprinkling nasty-tasting stuff on it, like hot sauce, vinegar, or pepper. There is a product called Forbid (ask your vet for it), which you add to her food to make the delicacy less appealing. But chances are that as soon as you stop the poop-altering or the Forbid, she'll go right back to her "treats."

You could try a product called For-Bid and see if that helps but you may need to pick up your dogs feces so he/she can't eat the stool. You can also teach your dog the "leave it" command and use it to teach him/her to leave the feces alone. http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/leave-it.html

The best way to keep your dog from eating is stools is to pick them up right away. There is a product called Forbid, which you sprinkle on his food, that can help with this. As soon as you stop using using it though, he will probably go back to eating them.