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Parasitic infestation- dogs with a high internal parasitic load commonly eat their faeces, and will have a ravenous appetite but will still lose weight.
Mal-digestion and Mal-assimilation Syndromes-due to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, colitis, lymphangiectasia, intestinal bacterial overgrowth, – here the dog may eat their faeces due to the high fat content (steattorrhea) contained in it due to maldigestion of fat in the gut. These conditions lead to an energy deficit because nutrients are not broken down properly in the digestive system and thus the dog will eat its faeces. In these conditions the dog will lose weight in spite of a healthy appetite.
Behavioural problems- it can develop as a vice or habit due to boredom and is a manifestation of stereo-typical behaviour or anxiety. It may be aggravated due to confinement or lack of attention.
Mark + Chappell’s VETIQ Stool Repel is an effective solution to this condition. This product has been specially formulated to deter such behaviour through a combination of active ingredients which, when ingested by the animal, help to produce a stool which is unpalatable to the animal.
The general treatment involves:
- Remove the faeces from the environment
- Provide more activity for the dog to reduce boredom, reduce the dog’s confinement and spend more time with him. If the problem began recently then it would be important to remember if you changed anything in his environment that may have created or intensified some anxiety that he may have being feeling which could be anything from a change of diet or bedding to new surroundings or people
- Rule out parasitic disease due to toxocara canis or D caninum by regular worming, normally every 2-3 months or more often if required. It is also important to regularly treat him for ectoparasitic problems like fleas as these carry the intermediate stages of the tapeworm life cycle
- Dietary management- a highly digestible diet balanced for your pets particular stage of life.
Collies and other dog breeds such as Shetland Sheepdogs, who have no pigment on their nose can develop a condition called Collie Nose or Nasal solar dermatitis. This is actually caused by a hypersensitivity to the sun. Some pets, whose hair is clipped over their bodies or for some reason have sparse hair, can also develop sunburn where their skin is exposed. Pets susceptible to sunburn should be kept out of direct summer sun, especially in the middle of the day when the sun is particularly strong.
Sunscreens (SPF should be 15 or greater) including those developed specifically for pets should be used to prevent sunburn. For pets with skin exposed on their bodies, a t-shirt (children’s or adult) can be fitted over the body. As with humans, animals with skin that has sunburned are more likely to develop skin cancer, so protection from sunburn is extremely?important.
The following precautions will help keep your pet sunburn-free this summer:
- Keep your pet out of the sun as much as possible between 10am and 4pm
- Apply waterproof sunscreen on unprotected areas
- If your pet must be outdoors during this time, provide plenty of shade
- Avoid walking or running your pet on hot pavements or blacktop surfaces.