canis - Articles
Pica
Introduction
- Pica is defined as the ingestion of non food items (rubber, rocks, plants, feces).
- Cophropagia Coprophagia is a form of pica defined as eating feces.
- In some cases pica may be part of normal behavior: grass eating is considered a normal behavior for dogs, with the hypothesized function of favoring the elimination of intestinal parasites; it is normal for a bitch to eat her puppies' feces, and indeed the eating of other feces when fresh may be a form of housecleaning to prevent infestation as it takes time for worm eggs to become infective after being eliminated; mouthing and ingestion of non nutritive items may be part of exploratory behavior.
Print off the owner factsheet on Pica Pica to give to your clients.
Presenting signs
- Direct observation of ingesting non nutritional items (plastic, paper, rocks, fabric, grass, soil).
- If it is a compulsive type of the behavior, it is performed repeatedly, in a ritualistic way that interferes with normal daily activities and functioning. It is normally possible to interrupt and redirect it.
- Signs of distress may be observed when access to the preferred item is denied.
- Clinical signs of foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract (eg obstruction Stomach: foreign body , irritation) or other gastrointestinal signs.
Acute presentation
- Depends on the owner's reaction upon observation of problem behavior, but may be the recurrent presentation of a blockage or other GI problem associated repeat ingestion.
Age predisposition
- Behavior and onset more common in young animals.
- If sudden onset at old age, medical causes should be considered.
- Grass eating is an innate behavior in dogs, possibly facilitated by observation, however its frequency may increase with dogs' age, it is generally not problematic.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
- May initially depend on increased appetite.
- Lack of more appropriate or attractive items to which play or exploratory behaviors can be driven.
- It may originate from stealing behavior and attempts to prevent the owner from retrieving the object.
- May depend on underlying anxiety.
- It may be a compulsive disorder itself or an evolution of other compulsive disorders Stereotype behavior , ie fabric sucking behavior.
- In the case of underlying stress (eg anxiety), it can be a coping mechanism, necessary for the dog.
Predisposing factors
General- Neutering Castration Ovariohysterectomy.
- Insufficient food bulk given.
- Young dogs lacking more appropriate items to be explored or to play with (eg in case of prolonged confinement, lack of exercise).
- Large breeds without adequate activity and social interaction.
- Drug-induced increased appetite.
- Disease-induced malabsorption Malabsorption.
- Medical conditions.
Pathophysiology
- Can be due to unsatisfied appetite.
- Coprophagia may be associated with normal disease regulating behavior.
- Can originate from play, exploratory behavior, or lack of appropriate substrates to chew and become a habitual behavior through learning and repetition.
- Can raise from anxiety manifested through destructive chewing and subsequent ingestion of items.
- Compulsive type of pica may originate from emotional conflict in predisposed animals and may be involuntarily reinforced by owners (when trying to stop the behavior); emotional conflict associated with punishment may also worsen it.
- Grass eating is a normal behavior, thought to act as a mechanical mean of expelling of parasites. It is an innate behavior; however it improves through learning and is facilitated by observation of the mother. Although emetic properties of grass or an association with dietary insufficiency are not proven, a relationship between grass eating and gastro-intestinal disorders is thought to be possible.
Timecourse
- It usually begins in puppies and young dogs.
- Repetition and learning favor the establishment of habitual behavior.
Diagnosis
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Treatment
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Prevention
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Outcomes
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- McKenzie S J, Brown W Y & Price I R (2010) Reduction in grass eating behaviours in the domestic dog, Canis familiaris, in response to a mild gastrointestinal disturbance. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 123 (1/3), 51-55 VetMedResource.
- Bjone S J, Brown W Y & Price I R (2009) Maternal influence on grass-eating behavior in puppies. Journal of Veterinary Behavior - Clinical Applications and Research 4 (2), 97-98 ResearchGate.
- Sueda K L C, Hart B L, Cliff K D (2008) Characterisation of plant eating in dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 111 (1/2), 120-132 VetMedResource.
- Moon-Fanelli A A, Dodman N H & Cottam N (2007) Blanket and flank sucking in Doberman Pinschers. JAVMA 231 (6), 907-912 PubMed.
- Luescher A U (2004) Diagnosis and Management of Compulsive Disorders in Dogs and Cats. Clin Tech Small Anim Pract 19 (4), 233-239 PubMed.
- Overall K L, Dunham A E (2002) Clinical features and outcome in dogs and cats with obsessive-compulsive disorder: 126 cases (19892000). JAVMA 221 (10), 1445-1452 PubMed.
Other sources of information
- Landsberg G, Hunthausen W & Ackerman L (1997)Handbook of behavior problems of the dog and cat.pp 112-114.
- Overall K L (1997)Clinical Behavioral Medicine for small animals.pp 245-246.
- Askew H (1996)Treatment of Behavior Problems in dogs and cats.pp 270-271.
- Houpt K A (1982)Ingestive behavior problems in dogs and cats.Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract12, 6683-6692.