# Puppy with giardia also eats stool



## Havnot

Subject says it all - we just figured out our 11 week old is a poop eater  Besides it being gross, this is 5 days after being tested positive for giardia, and now I feel like this might be a hopeless cycle if he keeps reinfecting himself. He completed his dose of pancur and still has another 5 days of metronidazole left. Feeling defeated after being so diligent about cleaning everything (toys, bedding, any area he walks in) with bleach mixture frequently, and bathing him, but what can you do. 

My first question is - how concerned should I be about giardia? He doesn't have diarrhea. The only incident with super soft stool was the first night we got him - but I thought it was because it seemed like he ate some type of clothe/questionable object when picking him up from the breeder.... although now that I think of it is could have been the parasite acting up from stress of being picked up? With the meds he's seem to have slightly softer stool, but besides that seems normal. Since he's in his prime socialization window we really want to get him out there interacting with other puppies but the vet instructed to keep him away since he's contagious. I am reading some things online that say as long as you wipe him down thoroughly/pick up after him immediately and disinfect the area it should be fine, but I know I wouldn't want a contagious dog around him if roles were reversed. However I also live in a city, and from the sounds of it giardia is likely everywhere on our streets, so I'm very unsure.

Going to give the vet a call tomorrow on how to proceed with medications but the stool eating I'm at a lost for. Any recommendations on how to successfully deter your dog from eating his stool? I know cleaning up before he gets to it is the best option but since he's paper trained and we aren't constantly around I can only do so much. Right now I'm trying to get him on a more regular schedule (I swear this dog poops at random times, even though he's fed at the same 3 times every day!). If I get him on a set schedule it would be much easier to manage picking it up immediately. Any/all ideas are appreciated.


----------



## MarinaGirl

Do you have a yard? I recommend you take him outside to do his business on a leash only so you'll have more control over turning him away from poop on the ground. And of course, keep your yard as free of poop as possible. Note that poop eating is something that many dogs go through so it's not just happening because he has Giardia. The best deterrent is keeping indoor & outdoor potty areas as clean as possible. Good luck!


----------



## Havnot

Oops, I should have clarified. We live in NYC so going outside isn't an option at this age. He's paper trained though and very good at using the newspaper. Set-up is a crate attached to an ex-pen - problem is if he defecates before we can get to it/if we are not there he will eat it


----------



## krandall

Can't help with the poop eating... I was dead set that my pups would never learn to like the taste, so I was fanatical about picking it up immediately. But I also know I got lucky. Many dogs do it no matter what the owners try.

I have to say, I would be very upset if my puppy was exposed to a puppy that someone KNEW had a contageous disease. I'm sorry it means that you need to put off dog socialization, but that shouldn't be other people's problem.


----------



## 31818

You will find lots of over the counter and home remedies for poop eating. But in my opinion, the only thing that is guaranteed to work 100% is, pick up IMMEDIATELY after elimination whether on a paper inside the house or outside. Yes, that is a lot of work and responsibility. I am not a fan of teaching a dog to eliminate inside the house, BUT I have the luxury of living in a single family home with a yard in a mild climate area (and pay some of the highest taxes - State personal income tax, property tax, sales tax, gasoline tax (but I do have a Tesla electric vehicle on order so the oil industry can kiss my gas) in the US because of it and it is worth it!).

Here is my suggestion(s)
1. You (or a dog sitter) take Ringo outside every two hours to do his business on the street (be sure and take waste bags and pick up immediately)

AND/OR

2. Put Ringo's newspaper in a room that you close off. You (or a dog sitter) take Ringo into that room every two hours to do his business and pick up immediately.

Yep, it is a lot of work and perhaps expense, but that is part of being a responsible dog owner, especially a puppy.

This will work for Coprophagia but first, you have to make it work.

Ricky's Popi


----------



## MarinaGirl

I live in an urban environment and took my puppy on walks outside and to do her business in the neighborhood right from the beginning. I also had an indoor potty option but the majority of the time she went outside. Your puppy having Giardia is a big challenge because it is so highly contagious; therefore, you have to keep Ringo away from other dogs and areas where they may frequent. Good luck!

P.S. Like Krandall, I was super strict about picking up poop so Emmie wouldn't develop a taste for it.


----------



## Heather's

I've never had a problem with either of my doggies eating their poo. Scout did like deer poo and seems to have outgrown that habit. 😬 My DH just mentioned that sometimes they go for walks on the baylands trails. He has to watch them like a hawk because Scout and Truffles love goose poop!


----------



## davetgabby

here's the usual I have on coprophagia . If I had a dog with this problem I would try a food that is more easily and fully digested such as freeze dried raw. eg. Orijen. Just make sure if you take this route to do a slow transition. JMO

http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/why-pooches-eat-poop1

Why Do Dogs Eat Poop? Coprophagia Can Be a Behavioral Problem


----------



## Havnot

Totally understand the concern for why I should not let him around other dogs - just wanted to bring it up because I've read a few things about how some vets don't treat it unless there's symptoms, and one could prevent infecting if being super clean about wiping down the dog/cleaning up after him (although I understand that's a risk). He doesn't have all of his shots yet for another few weeks so unfortunately he's stuck being kept inside, as none of our streets are clean. I'll speak to the vet about new food and other reasons for why he might be consuming it now.

Thanks for the tips. The worst part is 2 out of 3 times we were literally in the apartment and he had gone when he wasn't supposed to/wasn't on schedule. Once he woke up at 5:30am (despite normally getting up at 6am-6:30). Another we were literally in the next room getting ready for one minute, he had pooped 3 hours ago and hadn't ate for 5 hours, and went again (i.e. we were not expecting it). If he decides to eat his stool he doesn't eat all of it, not sure if that means anything, but just shows he doesn't seem to be fiending for it? And if we are there he won't eat it (we don't really give him a chance to, but he isn't the type to immediately go after it).

Some questions: from what I've read puppies are supposed to go every 20-30 mins after eating/activities? How is it that it takes him anywhere from immediately after eating to 3 hours after eating? At night we have tried feeding him anywhere from 6-7pm and have varied results of him being able to poop that night vs getting up early the next morning - should we feed him earlier?

Should we not let him have free run of an ex-pen with the indoor potty? Do we need to crate him all the time? I don't mind getting a puppy sitter for a few hours during the day when we're not around if we can't get him on a steady schedule, but I'm worried if s/he left the room even to go to the bathroom for a minute, he might feel the urge to go and there goes all the work. Do you think a private training session would help (note: quite expensive but if it's worth it I don't mind)?


----------



## 31818

Havnot said:


> Should we not let him have free run of an ex-pen with the indoor potty? Do we need to crate him all the time?


Put the ex-pen in one room, and the newspaper in a different room. In the beginning, take him out of his ex-pen and to the newspaper room every 30 minutes (set a timer). Just give him a maximum of 3 minutes in the newspaper room. If he goes, praise lavishly, give him a treat, and play with him a few minutes. If he doesn't go, then back into the ex-pen and try again in 30 minutes. He will quickly learn that he needs to potty/poop in the newspaper room (even in the middle of the night he will let you know he needs to go to the newspaper room), that is a fun place, and he gets all kinds of rewards there. Obviously, you will dispose of the newspaper immediately as soon as he goes.

This technique has worked for countless others, it will work for you.

Ricky's Popi


----------



## Marni

Talk to your breeder.


----------



## Magnadoodle

Maggie had a little issue with poop eating...yucko! I went to a local natural pet store in my area and they recommended a probiotic added to her food. It worked wonders.


----------



## Havnot

Thanks for the tips everyone! We decided to test out a few things to see if we could deter this before getting a full-time puppy sitter, and he's gotten so much better in the past few weeks. We've started adding a probiotic to his food regularly, an edible deterrent that has cayenne pepper, try to completely exhaust him before leaving him alone, and started putting hot sauce on his poop if he goes on the indoor potty. I think all of the above have contributed, especially the hot sauce (to my surprise). Felt awful laughing when he tried to go for it and got a mouth full of hot sauce and wouldn't stop barking at the poop, but if it helps guess they have to learn the hard way.


----------



## ShamaMama

Just seeing this thread. Glad to hear your situation has improved. What a challenge! Thinking of you . . .


----------



## Marni

I had to laugh at the hot sauce. Kosmo has gotten better as he aged. He will pick it up and carry it if not watched (which is enough to infect). He has been treated for that same parasite 3 times.


----------

