Why do dogs eat dirt?

Why Do Dogs Eat Dirt?

This is something that we deal with probably more than most people think about. When you discover this happening with your own beloved Boston, many people express disgust or surprise to see their dog eat dirt.  But this action is actually commonplace with many dogs. While not every dog will eat dirt, many will given certain situations.If you notice your pet eating dirt, it's not necessarily a bad sign, but then it may be.

While normally this is nothing to be worried about, it may be a a symptom of an underlying medical condition that you need to address.

There are several reasons why a Boston may have a desire to eat dirt. One is because their standard diet lacks in certain minerals. Your Boston may try to obtain the rest of their important vitamins and minerals that he needs in order to survive healthily. By watching to see if he is eats dirt frequently when he's outside, you may see this as a potential sign that he may be missing out on certain materials that he needs for his diet. By checking on the label of the dog food you are feeding him and comparing it with a list of important minerals and vitamins you may find some are missing. Then consider getting rid of it and purchasing a higher quality and well balanced food for your dog.

It is also believed that a dog may eat dirt on occasion if he has already eaten something that has begun to upset his stomach or his intestinal tract. If this is the case your dog may have eaten something very serious, like one of several human foods which are poisonous to dogs.If he is eating a lot of dirt this could be a potential sign that something is really the matter with his bowels or stomach. You should be talking with your veterinarian.

Then there are other situations that you may want to consider. One that is very common is, your dog will appear to be eating dirt but may actually be eating some food item that lies in the grass or on the ground. Your dog can smell food that is buried under the ground significantly better than you can. There is always the chance your dog just like the taste of your dirt.

SOURCE : www.vetinfo.com