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	Chihuahua who is eating his own faeces Q: How can I stop my little dog - an 11 month old chihuahua- from eating his own faeces?

A: Dear Annabelle,
This is usually more of a problem for the owner of the dog, than for the dog himself. Faeces-eating (coprophagia) is an unpleasant habit indulged in by many dogs. The simple answer is to prevent the dog from having the opportunity to eat them, by clearing up stools straight away. If this isn't possible, or if he is messing indoors and then eating it, a trick I have been told by fellow vets is to feed small portion of tinned pineapple to the dog in with the normal meal. Apparently, this makes the faeces taste and smell unpleasant and the dog then abandons the habit. I have to confess I have not personally tried this, but it may be worth a try. On a slightly different note, you will need to ensure your dog is regularly wormed, as he has ready access to re-infection. Good luck!
Sarah Mark BA VetMB MRCVS
(Vet for PetPlanet)

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