That way, they could solve it and add some fun back into Ruger’s life. So Ruger’s caregivers, along with the Best Friends veterinary team, tried to pinpoint what was causing his problem. Indoors, his room had to be kept clear of anything (other than food) that he might find tempting to eat, like soft bedding or toys.īesides the cot-like bed Ruger rested on, his room was pretty bare (and pretty boring) for a dog who loves playing with toys and running around outdoors.
To stay safe, he needed close and constant supervision from his caregivers whenever he was outdoors. Until his pica could be controlled, there was no way Ruger could play alone in his yard in Dogtown. Since the Sanctuary sits in the high desert area of southern Utah, those risks included lots of rocks and sand. Because he’ll eat just about anything, any environment he lives in comes with risks. Once he arrived in Dogtown, the worst was behind him, but that didn’t mean that Ruger was home free. With the help of a kind neighbor, Ruger survived for several months before he was rescued. To top it off, the poor senior was found abandoned in an empty house. It seemed that he’d had surgery before to remove life-threatening blockages in his intestines, caused by eating non-food items such as dirt, stones, blankets, towels and toys. But in order to enjoy them safely, Ruger has had to gain control over a condition called pica that had him compulsively eating things that are not food.Įating non-food items can be life threateningīy the time he came to the Sanctuary, Ruger was already a senior who’d likely been struggling for some time with an eating disorder called pica. These are some of his biggest joys in his life. He also loves a good romp in his yard or in the dog park. The 12-year-old dog absolutely loves playing with them and carrying them around in his mouth. If you can capture her, she should be taken to the vet and then turned over to a shelter or animal rescue so she can find a good home.Don’t tell Ruger that toys are just for puppies. The stray puppy probably can’t help herself, the compulsion being so strong, and I also suspect that the rocks and asphalt fill her stomach like no dog food can. Many animals, including humans, can develop pica. I suspect she is under stress from being homeless and undernourished and now has an eating disorder know as “pica,” which is a compulsion to eat things not normally considered food. What could she be getting from eating blacktop rocks that she doesn’t get from high quality dog food where meat is the primary ingredient? Everyone is curious.ĭEAR HEATHER: It’s dangerous for the puppy to be eating asphalt, which is toxic, and rocks, which can lead to all sorts of medical issues including blocked intestines. It eats the blacktop driveway rocks on the road and prefers that to dog food. Kneading is a reminder of how content they felt then.ĭEAR JOAN: There is a stray puppy who wanders from house to house for handouts. The kneading itself goes back to kittenhood, when kittens kneaded their mother as they nursed. There is a fifth reason - the cat is under great stress - but this doesn’t sound like the case for you.Īs for the kneading of the rug, this behavior indicates contentment. When your cat vocalizes while carrying his toy, he’s showing you how proud he is of his “baby.” While that sounds pretty sad, it’s not really. In this case, the cat is trying to teach the humans, who he sees as being woefully lacking in hunting skills.Īnd four, our pets can become very attached to certain toys, even to the point of treating them as if they were offspring.
Homeless dog pica how to#
When they catch something, they bring it - still alive - to their kittens and show them how to stalk and dispatch the animal. Again, this is a behavior more common in female cats, but some males share in teaching their kittens how to hunt prey and survive in the world. Three, he might be trying to teach you how to hunt. He could be treating the toy as a kitten, moving it from place to place as cats often do with their very young offspring. Two, he could be displaying behavior more commonly associated with female cats, but not unheard of in males.
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