Is there anything about rabbit poop that makes it any more attractive to dogs than the poop of other animals? The best way of training a dog not to scavenge involves teaching your dog to ‘come away’ on command. Dogs sometimes eat the poop of another species. Raised rabbits for years never had a dog get sick from domestic rabbit feces. two different types of “number twos.”. This includes domestic rabbit poop in the house as well as wild rabbit poop in the yard. However, you should try and eliminate it from your dog’s diet.The danger lies in eating the rabbit. Your house rabbit’s litter box should be kept in its cage, away from the dog. Consuming rabbit meat infected with other kinds of parasites can cause a different set of symptoms than coccidiosis. If you own a dog you know that they will not throw up on the tile floor, they have to walk over to the carpet to throw up Anyhow - My yard isn't that big - … 3 Dog Body Language Cues That Your Dog Wants to Play! K9ofMine.com does not intend to provide veterinary advice. If you discover your dog has eaten rabbit poop, speak to a vet or canine behavior specialist about ways you can prevent your dog from eating any kind of feces in the long term. 1. – Dr. Ryan Llera. However, these The first sign you may have that cottontails have invaded your yard is their poop. My dogs are eating tons of rabbit poop. This is a common question for many dog owners. Occasionally, young puppies or adult dogs in poor health may suffer from gastrointestinal distress caused by a coccidia infection. Because of disease. However, a dog eating rabbit poop doesn’t necessarily have a diet deficiency of any kind. This begs an obvious question: Why do bunnies produce two different kinds of poop? If you have a pet rabbit, be sure to clean up any droppings it may leave when it is loose around the house. By supervising your dog out on walks or in the yard, you can clean up poop when it happens. (although, hopefully, your weird behaviors don’t include scavenging rabbit poop Now it’s time to review what you can do to kick this gross habit at home. Naturally occurring tularemia in a dog. :chair: I don't know if I should be discouraging him from this behavior? Are there wild rabbits that live in your garden or neighborhood? Keep things clean and simple. Large-scale management systems and parasite populations: Coccidia in rabbits. Chances are, she’s currently giving him the eyes and begging to go to the park. This can happen when your dog eats rabbit poop, as well as if your dog eats rabbit meat. They Are Nursing. British Journal of Nutrition. If you see rabbit droppings in your yard, it’s a good idea to check it regularly for dead rabbits, as you definitely don’t want your dog eating these. A dog can only get them by eating the body of a rabbit that’s infested with them, or a rabbit that’s infested with infected fleas. coccidia (a type of single-celled parasite) in their feces. We had dachshunds in the past and never noticed this behavior, but recently acquired a five year old golden retriever and she started doing this a few weeks after she arrived. Read on to learn more about this strange issue and what you can do about it. as this may cause him to become sick. Rabbit poop can contain harmful elements such as bacteria, parasites, and microscopic pathogens which can make dogs sick. Rabbits produce two kinds of digestive substances: small brown waste pellets and cecotropes, which are soft, shiny droppings that the rabbit eats to obtain essential nutrients. Rabbit poop is different than the droppings of other animals. Dogs can get sick from eating deer poop, or any other form of feces for that matter. Tank has been eating rabbit poop in our yard and he will sniff it out too! While rabbits eat cecotropes, they leave their feces alone. Is this dangerous? All of these can have a serious effect on Fido. There are dozens of them. Sometimes dogs like to eat grass, too. The Poop of Other Animals Tastes Good to Them. Sometimes it seems like our dogs are compelled to eat the grossest and most bizarre things they can find. If a dog is nutrient deficient or hungry it will usually find a way of showing us, and that... 2. Your vet can check a sample of your dog’s stool for coccidia, but the presence of coccidia is usually harmless in dogs. Does your dog make a habit of eating rabbit poop? Nursing female dogs eat the poop of their young to keep their den clean. What is the dog's name and age? I have a one year old lab mix that loves to go out into our backyard and eat rabbit poop from wild rabbits and the poop is EVERYWHERE. A rabbit eat a lot. Have Eating a small amount of rabbit poop does not necessarily mean an emergency visit to the veterinarian’s office. The technical term for eating feces is coprophagia. Get tons of great dog training advice and tips about gear! In fact, eating rabbit meat infested with certain parasites can be much more harmful to your dog than eating rabbit poop. And while it's not the worse thing out there, you do need to be cautious with parasites. How can we get our dog to stop eating rabbit poop or poop from our small dog? Your dog’s diet might be to blame for his poop-eating fetish. Share your thoughts and experiences in The other type of droppings that rabbits produce are called cecotropes. Not only is it important for you to make sure the poop didn't cause your dog to get sick, but at the same time, you need to find out why they are eating the poop to begin with. Second, she didn’t do this when she first arrived. However, this also means that you’re not as likely to find cecotropes as you are typical rabbit poop – unless the bunny who made them was startled or something, it would likely eat them before your dog has the chance to do so. However, some dogs have a sensitive digestive system and may get an upset stomach if there are changes to their diet. Hi, I have 3 dogs and a big backyard, there seem to be a ton of rabbits in our yard this year. Search " " across the entire site Search " " in this forum Search " " in this discussion However, we should do what we can to prevent them from eating it. Physical reasons for poop eating include dietary deficiencies or the inability to absorb nutrients from food. Our new 4 month old Golden Retriever is constantly eating stuff in our yard (grass, rabbit poop, etc.) But we can be reasonably sure that rabbit-poop-eating behavior often occurs because of one of the following reasons: Of course, while it isn’t a very satisfying answer, it is Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Veterinary Parasitology. For example, dogs who eat rabbit poop are often found to excrete You can try professional dog training, but this is a very difficult task especially with golden puppies, they tend to eat everything that's in their way no matter what you do. Eating a small amount of rabbit poop is generally not harmful to dogs. If your dog develops gastrointestinal symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, it's best to contact your vet. Rabbit feces is generally not dangerous for dogs. coccidia organisms are harmless to your dog, and they’ll just pass right on So overall, let her run free in the yard and get some exercise or outdoor play time! By now you’ve ruled out or in, all the reasons why your dog may be eating poop. (Insert obligatory killer rabbit joke here). By following these tips, man’s best friend won’t become your yard’s worst enemy! This can include just about anything, ranging from cigarette butts to diapers to ant traps. Is Rabbit Poop Bad for Dogs? 2 Comments. The influence of diet on the vitamin B12 activity in the serum, urine and faeces of rabbits. While it is a dirty habit, eating rabbit droppings will not cause serious harm. Why Do Puppies Wake So Early In The Morning? By He currently lives in Atlanta, GA with his spoiled-rotten Rottweiler named J.B. Get tons of great dog training tutorials, canine gear guides, and the latest doggy discounts. From a canine health standpoint, it doesn’t really matter whether your dog eats rabbit feces or cecotropes. How To Stop Your Dog From Eating Poop. There are many reasons for coprophagia, some are biological, and some are behavioral. I always have concern about wild rabbit meat though. I would recommend teaching your dog the … Can they get sick from doing this? Eating poop may stem from an ancient instinct in dogs to make sure they get all the nutrition they need – rabbit poop is high in B vitamins. The rabbit form of coccidia doesn’t cause harm to the dog and simply passes through the intestinal tract. A dog eating poop is normal in the following scenarios: 1. Coprophagia: Food for Thought. A course of antibiotics that contain sulfa is the most common treatment for coccidiosis. Veterinarians will sometimes see evidence that a dog has been eating rabbit droppings by finding the parasite, coccidia, in the stool. along with her regular food… Just a thought…, Your email address will not be published. They may get an upset stomach, depending on the amount they eat. Waste and Disease. Ben is the senior content editor for K9 of Mine and has spent most of his adult life working as a wildlife educator and animal-care professional. Don’t freak out though — this behavior is pretty common, and it rarely leads to serious illness. 1982. Is there any way to get her to stop? 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