Distúrbio alimentar em cães: um estudo sobre a coprofagia

Abstract

Coprophagia, or the consumption of feces by an animal, whether it be their own (autocoprophagia) or that of other animals (allocoprofagia), can have behavioral, pathological, and dietary origins. This disorder can result from a single factor or a combination of factors. Strategies to combat this behavior, particularly in dogs, include dietary improvements, use of medication to treat underlying diseases, and environmental enrichment for the animal. The owner's experience also plays a crucial role in the animal's behavior and health. When coprophagia is caused by nutrition, it is usually due to a nutritional deficiency caused by an inadequate or unbalanced diet. High-quality complete foods are now available, allowing owners to provide their animals with balanced and complete diets, eliminating coprophagia, improving quality of life, promoting well-being, and increasing the longevity of animals. This study aims to analyze the possible causes of canine coprophagia and present appropriate solutions for this behavior. A descriptive bibliographic research was carried out, based on theses, articles, and books on the subject. The results indicated a scarcity of studies on canine coprophagia, highlighting the need for more research in the area. The research allowed us to conclude that nutritional reinforcement, through the improvement of the dog's food management with foods rich in proteins and fats, in addition to reducing carbohydrates and fibers to increase digestibility, improve palatability and food textures, can reduce the incidence of coprophagia. However, in some cases, the professional may identify the need to increase the amount of food or supplementation.