![]() ![]() In humans, it’s commonly reported among pregnant women, but cats and dogs can have pica too. It is not unusual to notice that younger children are frequently eating nonnutritive substances.Ĭopyright © 2023, StatPearls Publishing LLC. Pica is an eating disorder characterized by an obsessive urge to eat items that are not typically food. It is important to understand that in order to diagnose pica, the individual must be at least 2 years of age. Unlike in humans, pica in dogs or cats may be a sign of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, especially when it involves eating substances such as tile grout. Pica usually occurs as an isolated disorder but there are instances when it may co-exist with schizophrenia, OCD, and trichotillomania. In some parts of the world, the consumption of non-nutritive substances is culturally accepted. Dogs exhibiting this form of pica should be tested for anemia with a complete blood count including hematocrit levels, or packed cell volume. Coprophagia is considered normal maternal behavior the mother dog. Pica in dogs may be a sign of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, especially when it involves eating substances such as tile grout, concrete dust, and sand. Certain breeds are more susceptible to developing specific compulsive behaviors. Pica occurs more often in puppies than in adult dogs. In women, it is most often seen during pregnancy. When normal dog behaviors become excessive, it can be OCD. The nature of ingested items is variable, including but not limited to earth (geophagy), raw starches (amylophagy), ice (pagophagia), charcoal, ash, paper, chalk, cloth, baby powder, coffee grounds, and eggshells.Īlthough pica is seen in children, it is also a common eating disorder in patients who are intellectually impaired. For diagnosis, the behavior must persist for at least one month, not be in keeping with the child's developmental stage (and age cut off of 24 months or more is suggested by DSM V), and not be socially normative or culturally acceptable behavior. Pica is a term used to describe behaviour in dogs where they regularly eat items that are not considered edible. ![]() The term is derived from "pica-pica," the Latin word for the magpie bird, because of the bird's indiscriminate gathering and eating a variety of objects for the sake of curiosity. The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) defines pica as eating nonnutritive, nonfood substances over a period of at least one month. ![]()
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