Dung, manure, poo

 

Dung, manure, poo

Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

It was a remark from Gail that Nobby thinks poo is yummy that made me think.

Years ago, I had read that dogs would eat horse dung from horses fed on grass but not that of horses fed on pellets or concentrates.

However, I would discourage dogs from eating anything they may find on the ground and ‘Leave it!’ is taught from a very young age. This applies to babies and toddlers, too, though a sharp command is likely to reduce little humans to tears. 😉

More seriously, eating horse manure can be dangerous to dogs. Like most domestic animals, horses are wormed at regular intervals, and dung may contain some of the chemicals, like Ivermectin, for instance, which can be toxic to dogs. The ten or more symptoms of such poisoning include dilated pupils, vomiting, tremors, disorientation and difficulty breathing. Some breeds, like Collies, Shetland sheepdogs, Pomeranians and Australian shepherd dogs. are more susceptible, because of a gene mutation.

Ivermectin is found in many worming compounds and is used for farm animals like cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, to treat or prevent lung and intestinal worms.

If a dog is an inveterate consumer of poo, there may be something missing in its diet.