How to Treat Pica in Older Dogs
Take your dog to your vet., Exercise with your dog., Play with your dog., Give your dog anti-anxiety medication., Do not punish your dog.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Take your dog to your vet.
Pica in older dogs can be caused by behavioral or medical problems.
Before making changes at home, have your vet rule out possible medical causes.
Your vet will perform diagnostic tests to determine if your dog has an underlying health problem:
Digestive problems, like stomach pain or stomach tumors Anemia (low iron) Cushing’s Disease (overactive adrenal or pituitary glands) Diabetes If your vet finds a health problem, then treating that problem could help stop the pica behavior. -
Step 2: Exercise with your dog.
If your dog is otherwise healthy, then its pica is likely a behavioral issue.
Separation anxiety is a behavioral issue that commonly causes dogs to engage in unhealthy activities, such as pica, to relieve that anxiety.Exercising can help your dog relieve its anxiety in a healthy way without it resorting to eating something inedible.
Exercise is also a great way to relieve boredom, which is another common cause of pica in older dogs.
Take your dog for long walks twice a day.If you and your dog are athletic, take your dog out for a run.
If your dog has arthritis or cannot move around as much as it used to, do not push your dog to exercise beyond what it can comfortably do. , Some older dogs eat inedible items to get attention, even if it’s negative attention (trying to pull the inedible object out of the dog’s mouth).
Playing with your dog can give it the attention it wants from you.Play with your dog in different ways:
Play fetch.
Practice basic obedience commands (sit, lie down).
Teach advanced tricks, like playing dead and grabbing paw.
Give your dog plenty of toys, especially puzzle toys.Having a constant rotation of toys will keep your dog from eating inedible objects when it’s bored and you’re not home to play with it. , Sometimes, exercise and playtime are not enough to relieve a dog’s anxiety.If your dog’s pica behavior continues, take your dog back to your vet.
They can prescribe anti-anxiety medication for your dog.
Use the medication along with exercise and playtime to relieve your dog’s anxiety and treat its pica. , If your dog’s pica behavior is caused by anxiety, punishing your dog will increase its anxiety instead of stopping the pica.
In addition, if you scold and yell, your dog may start fearing you and hiding the pica behavior.Relieving your dog’s anxiety through behavioral changes and medication will be much more effective at treating pica. -
Step 3: Play with your dog.
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Step 4: Give your dog anti-anxiety medication.
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Step 5: Do not punish your dog.
Detailed Guide
Pica in older dogs can be caused by behavioral or medical problems.
Before making changes at home, have your vet rule out possible medical causes.
Your vet will perform diagnostic tests to determine if your dog has an underlying health problem:
Digestive problems, like stomach pain or stomach tumors Anemia (low iron) Cushing’s Disease (overactive adrenal or pituitary glands) Diabetes If your vet finds a health problem, then treating that problem could help stop the pica behavior.
If your dog is otherwise healthy, then its pica is likely a behavioral issue.
Separation anxiety is a behavioral issue that commonly causes dogs to engage in unhealthy activities, such as pica, to relieve that anxiety.Exercising can help your dog relieve its anxiety in a healthy way without it resorting to eating something inedible.
Exercise is also a great way to relieve boredom, which is another common cause of pica in older dogs.
Take your dog for long walks twice a day.If you and your dog are athletic, take your dog out for a run.
If your dog has arthritis or cannot move around as much as it used to, do not push your dog to exercise beyond what it can comfortably do. , Some older dogs eat inedible items to get attention, even if it’s negative attention (trying to pull the inedible object out of the dog’s mouth).
Playing with your dog can give it the attention it wants from you.Play with your dog in different ways:
Play fetch.
Practice basic obedience commands (sit, lie down).
Teach advanced tricks, like playing dead and grabbing paw.
Give your dog plenty of toys, especially puzzle toys.Having a constant rotation of toys will keep your dog from eating inedible objects when it’s bored and you’re not home to play with it. , Sometimes, exercise and playtime are not enough to relieve a dog’s anxiety.If your dog’s pica behavior continues, take your dog back to your vet.
They can prescribe anti-anxiety medication for your dog.
Use the medication along with exercise and playtime to relieve your dog’s anxiety and treat its pica. , If your dog’s pica behavior is caused by anxiety, punishing your dog will increase its anxiety instead of stopping the pica.
In addition, if you scold and yell, your dog may start fearing you and hiding the pica behavior.Relieving your dog’s anxiety through behavioral changes and medication will be much more effective at treating pica.
About the Author
Donna Gomez
Enthusiastic about teaching pet care techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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