Dog eating dirt.

Dr. Marie replied:

It really is not normal for a dog to want to eat dirt all of the time. I have some ideas for you though.

The first thing we need to do is to figure out whether this is a behavioral problem or a medical one. You've given me some information though that may make me wonder if this is a medical problem!

Some dogs will eat dirt if they are slightly anemic (low in red blood cells). It would be unusual for a young dog to be anemic. However, one possible reason for mild anemia would be if a dog was eating something that was toxic to red blood cells. Believe it or not, the brewer's yeast/garlic supplements may be causing your dog to be anemic!

Garlic, if fed regularly to a dog, even in small amounts can cause damage to the red blood cells. If you are giving a garlic containing tablet daily then this can definitely cause a mild anemia and cause Annie to want to eat dirt.

(For more information, see my chart on what foods are toxic for dogs.)

So, the first thing I would do is to stop the supplements. You can probably stop the pet tabs as well. A dog on a decent quality food doesn't need any vitamin supplements.

It takes 7 days for a red blood cell to be formed. So, within 1 to 2 weeks you should notice that the dirt eating has stopped.

Ideally, it would be great to have your vet do a blood test first to see if she really is anemic.

But, it is also possible that this is a behavioral problem. One way that you can try to break the habit is by leaving some boobie traps for her. So, put her in the backyard and have a pile of fresh dirt there for her. But, spray the dirt with a product such as bitter apple. You can also use something like tobasco sauce (but some dogs actually like the taste of tobasco sauce.

Do this several times and she should get the idea that dirt tastes bad.

Another thing you can do is to watch her and wait until you see her digging. Then, the moment she starts digging release a REALLY loud noise (like an air horn). She should learn that every time she digs or eats dirt that something unpleasant happens.

I'd love to hear if the problem clears up when you stop her tablets!

Dr. Marie.


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Dr. Marie replied:

You've caught me just as I was heading out. I'm at the park with my little girl now...when I get in I'll talk a bit more about your options for fleas.

Dr. Marie replied:

Sorry about the delay!

Here's another question I was asked recently about garlic and brewer's yeast for fleas. They really don't work for fleas or mosquitos!

The only product that claims to repel mosquitos for dogs is Advantix like you've mentioned. However, you can use any baby-safe mosquito repellant, or if you can find it, avon skin-so-soft works well as well.

If you are looking for natural flea prevention, ask your vet about a new product called Comfortis. It is a natural product that works really well for flea prevention.

Hope that helps!

Dr. Marie.