Bitch Eating Clay/sand?

[Hawksdale]

I have a bitch she is due to welp on the 7/2 and she digs down and eats the clay or sand (was licking up the river sand in the areana)... she will even do this when she is'nt in welp. She is on a balanced diet of raw food and meaty bones, chicken/turkey etc, so would it be habit or is she lacking something?? She looks to be in perfect health at (7 1.2) shiny coat clear eyes not signs of athritc issues ect so has me stumped Any suggestions as to why she does it? So far perfect pregnacy and is a very good weight.

[Nekhbet]

what is her diet exactly? Obviously there are some minerals lacking for her to be doing that.

[Hawksdale]

what is her diet exactly? Obviously there are some minerals lacking for her to be doing that.

Thats what I was thinking.. She is fed BARF, I make it up myself with chicken/beef mince kidney, heart, brains, liver, vits a,c,b, faxseed oil, yogurt eggs, lots of green vegetables and fruit, codliver oil, kelp, chai seeds and honey.. at the moment it is more protien and starch and less vege as she is week 7.5.So I don't know what I am missing as I thought that would just about cover everything. she looks in A1 condtion and is bright eyed and bushy tailed :D

[Nekhbet]

where's a solid calcium source with the mince? I would be tempted to add a little to any pure protein (ie not a raw meaty bone) and see if that fixes it as it's something inorganic she seems to be lacking. Conversely use something that is an all rounder type powder to add to the food, as it might be minerals as well as trace elements she's licking.

Might be worth seeing what type of soil you have too and it will let you know what she's missing.

[Hawksdale]

where's a solid calcium source with the mince? I would be tempted to add a little to any pure protein (ie not a raw meaty bone) and see if that fixes it as it's something inorganic she seems to be lacking. Conversely use something that is an all rounder type powder to add to the food, as it might be minerals as well as trace elements she's licking.

Might be worth seeing what type of soil you have too and it will let you know what she's missing.

opps forgot to add that she gets chicken/turkey necks wings legs, carcasses as well and the mince is from Lenards which is made up of carcass and leftover chicken bits so that is the calcium source.

Good idea about getting the soil tested :) I was also thinking of getting her bloods done.

[Nekhbet]

bloods would be a great start. Poultry bones are not very dense, I found they were not a great thing as an only source for my dogs either. Might be worth giving a calcium supp anyway considering she's pregnant as well, might just be below what she needs.

[Miranda]

All my dogs dig and eat dirt from time to time and I know other breeders whose dogs do the same, IMO it's normal behaviour just like eating grass and my dogs certainly aren't lacking anything in their diet. I definitely wouldn't be giving extra calcium to a bitch in whelp, however I would vary the type of bones she gets, try to include some beef brisket and lamb flaps in addition to the poultry bones.

[Hawksdale]

All my dogs dig and eat dirt from time to time and I know other breeders whose dogs do the same, IMO it's normal behaviour just like eating grass and my dogs certainly aren't lacking anything in their diet. I definitely wouldn't be giving extra calcium to a bitch in whelp, however I would vary the type of bones she gets, try to include some beef brisket and lamb flaps in addition to the poultry bones.

She does get a variety of marrow, brisket etc as well as chicken I think her diet is well balanced but am happy to hear of other dogs doing a similar thing :) I won't be giving extra calcuim at this stage anyway ;) She is the only one that I have seen eat dirt my other two as far as I know don't, they eat grass and just about anything else around :D

[sheena]

All my dogs dig and eat dirt from time to time and I know other breeders whose dogs do the same, IMO it's normal behaviour just like eating grass and my dogs certainly aren't lacking anything in their diet. I definitely wouldn't be giving extra calcium to a bitch in whelp, however I would vary the type of bones she gets, try to include some beef brisket and lamb flaps in addition to the poultry bones.

She does get a variety of marrow, brisket etc as well as chicken I think her diet is well balanced but am happy to hear of other dogs doing a similar thing :) I won't be giving extra calcuim at this stage anyway ;) She is the only one that I have seen eat dirt my other two as far as I know don't, they eat grass and just about anything else around :D

I used to have a dog that ate dirt. At the time we had a nursery & it was always where we had watered the plants as if she were getting the nutrients from the soil.

[Crisovar]

All my dogs dig and eat dirt from time to time and I know other breeders whose dogs do the same, IMO it's normal behaviour just like eating grass and my dogs certainly aren't lacking anything in their diet. I definitely wouldn't be giving extra calcium to a bitch in whelp, however I would vary the type of bones she gets, try to include some beef brisket and lamb flaps in addition to the poultry bones.

Agree with this.

[Fordogs]

My dogs also eat clay, soil and ash from the wood heater when pregnant especially.

[Hawksdale]

Well I am glad Melodie is not the only one that eats dirt thanks everyone for your helpfull replies :D

[Podengo]

People do it too :)

Pregnancy and Pica

Edited January 26, 2012 by DiscoDobe

[Nekhbet]

I definitely wouldn't be giving extra calcium to a bitch in whelp

If you add it to the prescribed amount to pure meat mince it wont be a problem. If its added to ALL meals no matter the Ca content then yes it's going over the top. Poultry bones are not really a great source of calcium, and the OP didnt say they were giving the dog any other until later in the thread.

The OP said the dog had pica even when NOT in whelp. Unless it's an extreme behavioral quirk to actively dig to reach a certain type of soil, it means something is lacking.

I have never had a dog actively seek and eat dirt or soil, even the rescues that have come in. If this was livestock the farmer would be out buying supplement blocks ASAP.

[Crisovar]

Adding calcium supplements to the diet of in whelp bitches is a no no, it interferes with the animals ability to draw on it's calcium sources when needed for milk production.

[Aziah]

I have dirt/clay eaters too (and I feed a raw diet), they also love to get to the grass roots...

[Nekhbet]

Adding calcium supplements to the diet of in whelp bitches is a no no, it interferes with the animals ability to draw on it's calcium sources when needed for milk production.

I understand, but that is in circumstances where the ratio of Ca:P ration in the diet is obviously adequate. The dog showed quite adament Pica before whelp and during meaning something is lacking, from the sound of the diet at least a little more Ca is required if not some trace elements (and as I mentioned before any pure protein source should have Ca added to it, not just sprinkle a big spoonfull over the whole meal)