Question:
My Irish setter pup, 12 months, loves eating charcoal. She just eats straight from the cold fireplace as much as she can.
Part of her daily diet is eating grass. Can charcoal cause any problems or is this a natural thing for dogs to do? I’ve never seen any other of our dogs do this.
Cazz Henderson, via e-mail.
Answer:
Dear Cazz,
It sounds like your crazy canine is a typical young Irish setter — into everything. Pica is the eating of unusual non-food things and is relatively common in young, curious dogs. She could be eating worse things. Some dogs eat sticks, stones, toys, their owners’ underwear and even their own or other dog’s faeces! Dogs will rarely eat unusual things because of a nutritional deficiency, usually it’s just curiosity, a bit like the way toddlers stick everything in their mouths.
Charcoal in small amounts is actually used to treat gastrointestinal upsets and flatulence. I wouldn’t let her eat a lot of it. If she is also eating a lot of grass, there may be a digestive problem that needs a more bland diet to settle things down. You can get low allergy food from your vet or try boiled chicken and rice for a few days to a week. (Be aware this is not a balanced diet for the longer term.) I would also worm her, if she isn’t already wormed every three months for all intestinal worms.
Failing all of that, it is a behavioural habit that you should rid her of. Block access to the fireplace and give her toys, chews and bones to keep her occupied. Plenty of exercise and stimulation, plus a bit of doggy psychology to train her out of it, wouldn’t go astray.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
