OMG! They Are Eating Deer POOP !!!!!!! Will this make them sick? Will they get more parasites? Freakin Out!

[Tricia Campbell]

I am a city girl & moved to New Jersey 13 years ago. I have a fenced in yard & the other day I let
Riley & Duffy out in the back to play. They both stopped in the middle of the yard & they were eating
something, it was liitle balls of SH*T. Well that just freaked me out I am assuming deer Sh*t. I never before had deer in my backyard. Well today is a nice day here in NJ so I figured I would try this again & I brought a bag out to pick up any deer dropping. The dogs kept beating me to it & once again were eating it. Some of you might recall we just got finished with Parasites after 3 weeks & after 2 types of meds because the first round didn't work. I also had a flea issue even though both dogs have frontiline.
I am know thinking that they got the fleas from the deer. My question how is this going to effect them
& what can I do if anything. I have a nice size backyard & now they will be stuck in a small area that
has concrete.Oh & can they get parasites from this?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Well, deer are definitely carriers of giardia...one of the major "host" animals responsible for passing giardia on to domestic dogs in some areas of the country. I don't know what other parasites, if any, they can "pass" along.
Incubation for giardia is about 10 days...watch R & D for signs of diarrhea, etc., but a specimen won't test positive for 1-2 weeks. Jackdoodle & I will keep our paws & fingers crossed that they don't get anything from their exotic tastes!

[Eva (Lilo and Rocky)]

Yum! It's amazing what they'll eat... My dogs will also eat fresh poop from deer and horses. They've never gotten sick from it. I think as long as the poop is from an herbivore animal; they should be OK. I suggest scooping in your yard before letting the dogs out, just to be on the safe side! You can check with your vet also, to make sure they won't get sick from exercising this wonderful behavior.

[2m42srv7vi6sq]

Cealeach & Bella have a veritable smorgasbord of poop!

We have deer, bear, possum, raccoon, rabbit, cat and who knows what elses' poop on our property. If I don't keep Cealeach on her leash (besides running like hell for the perimiter) she will just GRAZE on poop! She has enough problems, with allergies, to let her eat exotic "munchies". So far, we have not had a problem with parasites, from the poofeasting, just brown teeth and nasty breath!

Usually the heartguard or Ivermectin, that you used for heart worms, takes care of all other parasites, so you don't have to worry overly much.

Bella, our Mastiff, has been feasting on animal poop for 9+ years, with no ill effects.

[Louise and Toby]

We also have a deer poop eater, and I suspect he eats all the other kinds as well because we have all those critters here too. We give Toby Sentinel once a month and perhaps that is why he has never had a problem with parasites, he's never even had fleas and we live in the Houston area! Now I shall knock on wood. I'm not sure we could patrol it all up anyway because we have a very large yard too. Does anyone know for sure, from a vet, what the chances of a major problem developing from this behavior?

[Eva (Lilo and Rocky)]

this is from www.peteducation.com, and sounds a lot like what my vet told me when I asked long time ago:

Q. What are the causes and cures of stool eating?

A. Coprophagy (pronounced kä - präf’ - je) comes from the Greek copro which means feces and phagy which means eat. And that is what it is – eating feces. A habit of dogs we all find disgusting, but as we say, dogs will be dogs. Some dogs especially like feces from herbivores like rabbits, deer, and horses. Others love to raid the cat's litter box. Still others only eat dog feces if it is frozen.
Why do dogs eat feces?

A lot of theories have been suggested as to why dogs eat feces. Are they missing something in their diet? Generally not.

Dogs who eat their feces usually do not have a dietary deficiency. Some medical problems, however, can contribute to coprophagy including severe disorders of the pancreas (pancreatic insufficiency) or intestine, severe malnutrition from massive parasitic infestations, or starvation. These cases are rare.

Some dogs, especially those in kennel situations, may eat feces because they are anxious or stressed. One researcher suggests that dogs who have been punished by their owners for defecating inappropriately start to think any defecation is wrong, so they try to eliminate the evidence.

Another theory is that coprophagy is a trait passed down through the ages. Dogs' cousins, the wolves and coyotes, may often eat feces if food is in short supply. Feces from herbivores (animals that eat plants for food) contain many of the B vitamins. Some researchers suggest that wolves (and some dogs) may eat feces to replenish their vitamin supply.

In some instances, coprophagy may be a behavior learned from watching other animals. It may also become a habit in the course of play and puppies having to try out the taste of everything.

There is a stage of life in which coprophagy is common and expected. Can you think of what it is? Bitches and queens normally eat the feces of their offspring. This is presumed to occur in an attempt to hide the presence of the litter from predators.

Finally, some dogs may eat feces just because it tastes good (to them).

How do we prevent coprophagia from occurring?

The best way to prevent the problem is to keep yards and kennels free of feces.

Some owners find it successful to use something to make the feces taste horrible. Products such as For-bid (for cats or dogs) and Drs. Foster and Smith Dis-Taste (for dogs) are added to the food of the animal whose feces are being eaten (it could be the food of the dog with coprophagy if he eats his own stool; or the food of the cat, if the dog with coprophagy eats the cat's feces). The product is digested by the animal, and results in giving the feces a very bad taste. Some people try putting Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper (chili powder) on the feces (not the food!). Unfortunately, some dogs have acquired quite a taste for Tabasco. These methods work best if the behavior has just started. Once coprophagy has become a habit, it is very difficult to break.

Dogs should be on a leash when walking, so you have control over the dog in case a luscious pile of feces is found along the way. Sometimes, the only way to prevent coprophagy is to fit the dog with a wire muzzle. The dog will be able to sniff, pant, and do most things dogs do, but the dog will not be able to eat with the muzzle on. DO NOT LEAVE A MUZZLED DOG UNATTENDED.

Adding toys and other diversions to the environment may be helpful. We need to find something that is more fun for the dog than eating feces. A dog may find a Kong toy laced with peanut butter a better alternative. Also give the dog lots of exercise to help it ultimately relax.

In situations in which the behavior may be linked to stress, the cause of stress should be eliminated or at least reduced. In some instances of extreme anxiety, or if the behavior becomes obsessive-compulsive, medication may be necessary to try to break the cycle.

One researcher recommends checking the dog's diet to make sure he is getting enough B vitamins and is not getting an excess of carbohydrates.

Some dogs will improve if they are fed more often, so you may want to increase the number of meals (but keep the total daily intake about the same).

There have been anecdotal reports that adding Prozyme to the diet may aid in eliminating this problem.

For dogs attracted to litter boxes, you may need to be quite creative. Using covered litter boxes and placing the opening towards a wall may help. Some people put the litter box up high. Others put the litter box in a closet and secure the closet door so that the opening is big enough for the cat but will not allow the dog to enter. Keep in mind that if we make the litter box too difficult to reach, the cat may not go to it either.

Above all, do not punish the dog for eating feces. This may reinforce the behavior. General work on obedience is sometimes helpful. If the dog knows what is expected of him and looks to you for cues, he may be less anxious and less likely to start or continue the behavior.

What are the health risks of coprophagy?

Many parasites can be transmitted through eating stool. Generally, herbivores have parasites specific to them; these parasites will not cause disease in carnivores. But dogs eating the feces of other dogs or cats can infect themselves repeatedly with parasites such as giardia, coccidia, and if the feces are around for 2-3 weeks or more, roundworms and whipworms. Such dogs should have regular fecal examinations and dewormings with the appropriate medications depending on the parasites found.

Summary

We are not sure why dogs eat their own feces or the feces of other animals. We do know that if a dog starts this behavior, the sooner we implement prevention measures, the better the chance of success.

[Tamara & Giada]

I agree with Lauren. I think we OVER think things thus causing more stress for ourselves. If you are right there, I would stop them, but otherwise let it go.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You know, Tamara, I think you're right. Why look for trouble before it happens? Now, if I could only follow that advice myself, LOL!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

With giardia, the main issue is standing water. The giardia cysts are shed in the poop, and they can over-winter on dirt & other organic matter; frost doesn't kill them. In the spring, the melting snow creates puddles where the giardia can be transmitted to dogs & other animals if they drink from the puddles. This is the most common way giardia is transmitted, from dogs drinking from puddles at dog parks, in the woods, and even in their own yards. So it's important to really clean up & disinfect any areas where the poop from infected animals has been; when my foster had giardia, the vet recommended power spraying the areas of the yard where the poop had been with a bleach solution.

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

Blake LOVES to eat deer and rabbit poop too....There seems to be an awful lot of that stuff around here in Joisey!...lol....My vet told me that it's rare for dogs to pick up any parasites from eating wild animal poop and their monthly heartworm medication also acts as a preventative....Not sure about the Giardia....Karen has a better handle on that than I do.....

[Tricia Campbell]

Thanks All for your imput. Trish