Poop Eater Options

[Shani]

My Shih Tzu Missy, who is 16 years and 3 months has recently started to eat her poop. Apart from the constant drinking and piddling, she is generally in good health. I have had her at the Vet who has taken blood tests which all came back normal. She is on Prednisolone, for respiratory problems, which is what I have been told will make her tiddle. I have rubber/washable mats down which she mainly goes on except when she misses, and I can live with that, it is just the poop eating which is horrible and I didn't get any clear answer from the Vet as to why she has now started to do it. I spoke to someone yesterday, and what beggers belief was that she said, 'are you going to put up with it?' I certainly wouldn't pts as she still has all her marbles and at the moment nothing seems to be shutting down. Any advice on her lovely new habit, would be greatly appreciated

[Boysie]

Is Prednisolone a steroid? The constant drinking / peeing / poop eating (due to hunger?) could mean she has steroid induced Cushings, which can be tested for. The cure though would be to take her off the steroids - so worth talking further to your vet.
Best wishes to Missy

[nikirushka]

When did she go on the prednisolone? My oldie went on this 2 weeks ago - since then her appetite has gone through the roof and she's clearing the garden of poo.

I feed her four meals a day to try and keep it under control, and it's working so far.

[Shani]

Hi, thank you for your replies. Prednisolone is a sterioid. Missy has been tested for Cushens, fortunately it was negative. She has been on them for more than a year. The Vet has said that under no circumstances must I ever stop them. I saw a young 'Rookie' Vet last week and he said to reduce, take her off of them, which I totally ignored. I then had to take my young Westie to the Vet (he had Tonscillitis) this week and fortunately it was the owner/Vet and she said not to take Missy off of them, and that the Rookie is leaving in a few weeks. Did not have any confidence in him . Missy has always been a little glutton when it comes to food, so I will make sure that there is always extra put down for her and see how we go. Obviously what she eats she must enjoy and not want to part with it what a thought! Thank you again.

This post has been edited by Shani: 17th Mar 2012, 10:15 pm

[ann2k]

Could you not clear it up, b4 she gobbles it up, (yuk the thought) my lola used to eat her own, i gave her vege & everything, i swear it made her eat her own, so i made sure i cleaned it up straight away, & would tell my older kids if they let her out in garden when im not home to watch her & clean it up, thankfully it has now stopped, i know circumstances are different as your dog is a lot older & on steroids but even so it still yuk

[nikirushka]

Obviously you want to be careful she doesn't put weight on - with Tia it doesn't matter as her pred is for cancer, I can feed and feed and she's losing weight anyway but before I knew what it was, before she started losing weight her appetite was still high and we had the same problem so I was feeding her things like tinned meat with veg for bulk to fill her up without her getting fat.

[Shani]

Thank you for your replies. Missy usually does it in the house when I am in another room and I have got to the way that when she barks it usually means that she has done a whoopsie and just about to eat it, so I am on her when I get warning and can clean it up quickly. Missy is overweight, due to the steroids. I have to carry her out to the garden when she wants to go out, and I have rubber backed mats with training pads on in the hall and utility room for when she gets caught short and also when I go off to work, which she does tend to use, bless her I am sure she will get bored of doing it, as it is not too regular thank goodness. Thank you all again.