My puppy ate his own poop. Is it safe, or should I be worried?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is actually not that uncommon. It is unclear why it happens. However, it usually does not need any type of therapy or change of routine. I would recommend you discourage this behavior as much as possible. This will eventually most likely stop. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is really no good medical therapy to prevent this so I am not sure how well those pills would work. This is usually a behavior that dogs tend to improve from relatively quickly. I would just try to avoid him eating his feces and discourage this behavior as much as possible. It is very likely that he will eventually improve on his own. Good luck and have a great day!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Charlie Boy. This is a common habit in puppies. Many dogs will outgrow the behavior as they age. In the meantime, scoop the yard as frequently as possible. You can also try applying Forbid powder to his food. This can help to break the habit. Eating his feces can place him at a higher risk for reinfection himself with parasites. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center! Stool eating, also known as coprophagy, is actually quite common in puppies and in many adult dogs too. In fact, if not addressed in a timely manner, there's a risk that this unwanted behavior may end up becoming a recurring habit. There are many theories and potential reasons why dogs decide to eat their feces. These include poor digestion, boredom, stress, attention seeking, and a lack of vitamins/minerals in the diet. The latter is highly unlikely if you're feeding your dog a high quality commercial food, since these generally provide all the nutrients your dog needs. The effective way to deal with this behavior depends on the exact cause. So, it's always recommended to consult with your veterinarian.

Hi there and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Delilah is adorable! Unfortunately most of the time when a dog is eating it's own feces, it's just because they've developed the habit and decide that they like it. Obviously it's a pretty gross thing to do and can lead to reinfection with GI parasites so it's a behavior we want to try to stop. First you should do regular and immediate removal of feces in the yard so Delilah has less of a chance to get to the poop. You can also try feeding something like Forbid (a product you can purchase) or a small amount of pineapple juice mixed in with her food. This will sometimes stop a dog from eating their own feces. Very rarely this behavior can be a sign of a nutritional deficiency so if it continues have Delilah evaluated by your veterinarian. And bring a stool sample for evaluation as well to ensure she has not picked up a GI parasite. Hope this helps!

This isn’t considered a normal activity, but it is commonly seen. It does not affect your pets overall health; although some pets will get an upset stomach from it. I would recommend adding in 1-2 tsp of meat tenderizer or a pet product called Forbid which will help make the poop taste bad and help stop this unwanted behavior. I am sorry your question was not answered fully the last time and I hope this answer was helpful. Best wishes and take care.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I know you are worried by DunDee will be fine. There are no precautions to take. IF he ingested the fecal material he was covered for worms by the dewormer AND the heart worm preventative. I wish you the best