![]() ![]() ![]() Your friendly neighborhood vet may need to run blood, stool, and urine test to check if parasites are causing pica or if it’s some sort of a digestive disorder or malabsorption of nutrients. Since it is difficult for you to find out these reasons on your own, you’ll have to take your furry friend to visit the vet. There can be underlying medical conditions that cause dogs to eat non-food items. Underlying Medical Conditions Behind Pica There are two types of reasons for pica in dogs: You’ll have to examine your dog’s lifestyle and environment. Causes of Pica Disorder in Dogsįinding out what causes pica in dogs can be a bit difficult and tricky. If your dog has been gnawing at non-food items lately, it’s time you learned a bit about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of pica in dogs. Pica in dogs can either be a compulsive behavior or a result of an underlying medical condition. Their lives often will depend on it.Dogs with pica can develop serious issues like a perforated digestive tract from swallowing sharp objects, and they may also suffer from poisoning and choking. Just always stay vigilant with any individual diagnosed with a pica condition. Other complications may be perforation of the intestines or stomach with serious complications. It may become hard and must be removed either surgically or via a scope procedure. A bezoar is mass of indigestible material that a person cannot pass. Another thing that can occur is for the person not to be able to pass the ingested substance and a bezoar may form. Keep the poison control number handy at all times. If a person has ingested items, try to find out if it was the potpourri or if they drank the infuser oil. The person may also need increased supervision or 1:1 observation. Stuffed animals, pine cones and garland can cause choking hazards and glitter can cause aspiration issues. Eating glass Christmas tree ornaments and Christmas tree lights do not typically have a very good outcome for the person. Nutritional compromise is the number one concern in older children or pregnant women.ĭuring the holidays, if you provide services to anyone with pica, it can be a very dangerous time. A second consideration is that the person is trying to find anything to help soothe or ease the discomfort caused by the reflux. One thought is that by eating or even chewing, it causes an increase in saliva production which helps to neutralize the acid that has backed up into the esophagus from the reflux. Saliva has a more alkaline nature and stomach contents are much more acidic. Persons with gastroesophageal reflux will often display pica behaviors. Anything to satisfy that feeling of hunger is better than nothing.Ī frequent cause of concern in pica in adults or older children is the possibility of gastrointestinal distress. This can often be seen in cases of neglect when a person is simply not fed enough and they are hungry or being starved. Another reason pica may continue is simply overall malnutrition. For some reason, their brain and body are communicating that the nutrient they need may be gotten from these particular sources. Persons who have anemia, low iron or other deficient minerals in their blood may eat dirt or clay to obtain that nutrient. Nutritional compromise is the number one concern in older children or pregnant women. When pica behavior persists past infancy or very early childhood, we want to look at a couple of different things as the root cause of this behavior. As children grow out of that exploration phase of their life, we also expect to see them grow out of pica behavior. ![]() They see it, taste it and identify the texture. Infants and very young children explore and learn about their world by putting things in their mouths. This condition is quite common in very young children and is normal to a degree in that age group. Pica is defined as eating items or substances with no nutritional value. Most of you know what pica is and have cared for individuals who suffer from this condition. ![]()
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