Redirecting with positive motivation when he picks up dirt in the yard.

Walking him on a leash where you can supervise his behavior.There are some actions you can take to prevent your dog from eating dirt including: Dogs also may ingest parasites picked up in the soil. Other dangers according to Coger include dental damage and obstruction in the throat or elsewhere along the digestive tract. Coger says that the main concern when letting your dog continually eat dirt is impaction of the intestines, which often requires surgery. In an American Kennel Club article, veterinarian Laurie S. Veterinarians can also prescribe anti-anxiety medication to help stressed dogs to relax. For more severe cases behavior modification may be needed to help dogs feel comfortable when left alone. Mild separation anxiety may be relieved by increasing your dogвЂ™s daily exercise and offering interactive toys to provide stimulation when home alone. Separation anxiety can also lead to unwanted behaviors such as abnormal eating behaviors. Also, be sure to provide your dog with chew toys to keep him busy when alone. If you work long hours, consider hiring a pet sitter to take your dog for a walk or enroll your pooch in a daycare facility. Veterinary behaviorists say that some dogs, especially puppies and adolescents, may resort to eating dirt out of boredom. Often, dogs allowed access to the outdoors will eat dirt when not supervised so you may need a video camera to capture the behavior. This involves careful observation of the eating disorder including its frequency, duration, and time of occurrence. Behavioral issues can also cause dogs to eat dirtДetermining the cause of your petвЂ™s angst is an important step in ending dirt-eating, according to UC Davis veterinary experts. In the Chagrin Falls Veterinary Center and Pet Clinic article, Burch says that the most common liver disease that leads to eating dirt and rocks is вЂњhepatic microvascular dysplasia or a liver shunt.вЂќ Other symptoms of this disease include vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss. The veterinarian says dogs вЂњmay eat dirt to dilute toxic or harmful foods and reduce their impact on the gut.вЂќ Osborne believes that some dogs may eat dirt to soothe an upset stomach. According to Burch, вЂњDogs will develop iron deficiency from chronic blood loss, poor diets, or severe hookworm infections.вЂќ If your dog is eating dirt for more than a few days, the first step is to check the food label for proper, balanced nutrition, including essential minerals.вЂќ Additionally, veterinarian Michelle Burch of Safe Hounds Pet Insurance says that iron deficiencies can also lead to a dog eating dirt and rocks to make up for the deficiency. In an article on the veterinary center website, Osborne says, вЂњDogs have a natural instinct to adjust their diet when they are not getting the nutrients they crave. Veterinarian Carol Osborne of Chagrin Falls Veterinary Center and Pet Clinic in Ohio believes that a bad diet may cause a dog to eat dirt.

In the magazine article, veterinarian Judy Morgan says that вЂњвЂ¦dogs with IBD could be eating dirt because they are trying to get more minerals to help deal with anemia.вЂќ

Inflammation in the bowel can lead to bleeding. Known as IBD, this syndrome is caused by a specific reaction to chronic irritation of the intestinal tract. While itвЂ™s more common for puppies to have hookworms, dogs of any age can be exposed to these parasites in the environment or if they are not on a heartworm preventative.ДЄccording to an article in Dogs Naturally magazine, when dogs seek out minerals and vitamins found in the soil it could be a signal that they are suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. Anemia can be caused by a variety of things such as hookworms, flea infestations, tick disease, cancer, or bleeding disorders. And according to PetMD, any anemia, if severe enough, can cause a dog to eat dirt.

Behavioral issues can also cause dogs to eat dirtДogs suffer from anemia when their bodies donвЂ™t produce enough red blood cells.

Dog pica symptoms