Why Does My Dog Chew On Sticks And Stones?

All dogs go through a chewing phase during puppyhood. Armed with “legal” chew items and reward-based training, your best shoes will be spared as a teething device. But occasionally, chewing becomes more than just a puppy habit. Some dogs continue to chew, even on things that weren’t intended to be toys or treats.

- As mentioned, chewing is a completely natural doggy behaviour and most often a problem during teething. Puppies chew not only to relieve the pain caused by the teething process, but also because they explore the world around them with their mouths since they don’t have fingers. It’s a crucial stage in a dog’s development. If not taught which objects are appropriate toys or treats, some may continue to find other objects to chew on, like your furniture, clothes, hands or other inedible items. It is also important to remove items that you do not want the puppy or dog to chew on from his environment.

- Many dogs and puppies resort to wood as a chew toy, especially if you play fetch with sticks. Bear in mind that dogs may not differentiate between a stick outside or a piece of furniture inside. Providing stimulating toys and safe long-lasting treats is a great way to keep him occupied while you’re away.

- In some cases, dogs or puppies may chew due to Pica. Pica in dogs is a health condition characterized by the compulsive ingestion of non-food items like cloth, plastic, wood, paper and/or even stones. Dogs with Pica might be obsessed with eating one type of non-food item or they might eat anything they can get their paws on (pun intended)!

- The root cause of Pica in dogs can be behavioural or medical.

- Treatment depends on the cause. It may include medications or behaviour modification.

- Behavioural Pica is sometimes called stress eating. Stress, boredom and anxiety (particularly separation anxiety) may cause a dog to be destructive and ingest things such as bedding, items of clothing or items from the ground or trash.

- In medical cases, nutritional imbalances, endocrine diseases (such as diabetes or thyroid disease), or diseases of malabsorption or maldigestion can cause Pica. Pica can also occur as a result of anemia, gastrointestinal parasites and liver disease.

- Chewing and swallowing non-food objects can be extremely dangerous for a dog. Dogs with Pica may ingest something toxic or develop gastrointestinal blockages or perforations from swallowed materials. If objects lodge in the stomach or intestinal tract and cannot pass through, a veterinarian might have to perform surgery to find and remove the objects. Cases of perforation (where a sharp object, i.e. a sharp stone or wood splinters, pierces the stomach or intestines) can be especially dangerous, requiring immediate emergency surgery and can result in death.

- Symptoms of Pica in dogs may include:

* Swallowing non-food items like clothing, plastic, wood, cardboard, dirt or stones

* Vomiting

* Diarrhoea

* Bloating and constipation (in the case of a blockage)

* Lethargy or fluctuations in energy levels

* Lack of appetite or fluctuations in appetite levels

- Here are a few examples of the types of injuries that sticks commonly cause:

* Splinters in a dog's tongue and/or gums

* Punctures of the roof of a dog's mouth, or even their throat

* Impalement in a dog's eye

* Penetration of a dog's chest, with resulting damage to their heart and/or lungs

If you suspect your dog has ingested something that can be harmful or injurious, please seek veterinary advice immediately.