A dog eating poop and drinking pee can be disturbing to watch, especially when the behavior appears suddenly or happens repeatedly.
Eating feces is known as coprophagia, while drinking urine may occur as part of scavenging, curiosity, or an unusual appetite for nontraditional substances. Some dogs may engage in one behavior occasionally, while others repeatedly seek out feces or urine.
In some dogs, these behaviors are primarily behavioral and may occur without an underlying illness.
However, when a dog suddenly starts eating poop and drinking pee, does it frequently, or has other changes such as weight loss, diarrhea, increased hunger, increased thirst, or changes in urination, a medical problem should be considered.
The meaning depends on the dog’s age, diet, other symptoms, and whether the behavior is new or longstanding.
Table of Contents
Dog Eating Poop and Drinking Pee: Why It Happens
A dog eating poop and drinking pee may be responding to scavenging instincts, curiosity, habit, or an unusual appetite. Dogs naturally investigate their surroundings with their mouths, and coprophagia is relatively common, particularly in puppies.
Some dogs may also be attracted to the smell or taste of urine from themselves or other animals.
However, persistent stool eating can sometimes be associated with problems that increase appetite, interfere with nutrient digestion or absorption, or cause gastrointestinal upset.
Parasites and digestive disorders are among the medical problems that can contribute to coprophagia.
Drinking urine is less commonly discussed as a specific medical sign by itself. If a dog is repeatedly seeking out urine, it is important to consider whether the dog is simply scavenging or whether increased thirst, abnormal urination, or another health change is occurring at the same time.
Dog Eating Poop and Drinking Pee: Common Causes
Scavenging and Normal Investigative Behavior
Dogs are natural scavengers, and some will investigate feces, urine, garbage, and other substances they encounter. Puppies are particularly likely to explore their environment with their mouths.
Eating poop can become a learned habit if a dog discovers that the behavior is rewarding or interesting.
Some puppies eventually stop the behavior as they mature, while others continue it into adulthood.
Drinking urine may similarly occur as an exploratory or scavenging behavior, particularly when a dog encounters another animal’s urine outdoors.
Related: Dog eating poop and throwing up (Why it happens)
Habitual Coprophagia
Some dogs eat feces despite being otherwise healthy. The behavior can become habitual, especially when the dog has repeated access to stools.
Dogs may be attracted to the odor, texture, or undigested food material present in feces. Eating feces from another animal can also be a form of scavenging.
Increased Hunger
Conditions that cause unusually strong hunger can contribute to stool eating.
Diabetes, Cushing’s disease, certain intestinal disorders, inadequate calorie intake, poorly balanced diets, and some medications can increase appetite.
A dog that is constantly hungry may become more likely to investigate feces or other unusual food sources.
If the poop eating is accompanied by weight loss despite a good appetite, increased drinking, or increased urination, a veterinary examination is particularly important.
Related: Dog eating poop side effects (Potential side effects)
Intestinal Parasites
Intestinal parasites can contribute to coprophagia, particularly in puppies. Parasites can interfere with normal digestion or nutrient absorption and may also cause gastrointestinal signs.
A dog with parasites may have diarrhea, soft stool, poor weight gain, a pot-bellied appearance, or changes in appetite, although some infected dogs show few obvious signs.
Fecal testing is commonly used when parasites are suspected.
Poor Digestion or Nutrient Absorption
Some digestive conditions prevent a dog from properly digesting or absorbing nutrients.
If food is not being processed normally, stools may contain more undigested material and become more appealing to a dog.
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is one example of a condition that can cause poor digestion and may be associated with increased appetite and coprophagia.
Dogs with digestive or absorption problems may also have chronic diarrhea, large or abnormal stools, or weight loss.
Gastrointestinal Upset
Digestive disease can sometimes contribute to unusual eating behaviors.
Dogs with gastrointestinal problems may have diarrhea, vomiting, changes in appetite, abnormal stool consistency, or other digestive symptoms.
If the poop eating began around the same time as ongoing digestive problems, it is worth discussing with a veterinarian rather than assuming it is simply a behavioral habit.
Related: Dog eating poop and has diarrhea (Causes and what to do)
Anxiety, Boredom, or Environmental Factors
Some dogs may develop repetitive scavenging behaviors when they are bored, anxious, frustrated, or insufficiently occupied.
This does not mean that every dog eating poop has an emotional problem.
Behavioral factors are only one possible explanation, and medical causes should be considered when the behavior is new, persistent, or accompanied by other changes.
Increased Thirst
If your dog is drinking urine as well as drinking noticeably more water, increased thirst deserves attention.
Dogs can drink more because of heat, exercise, or changes in access to water, but persistent excessive thirst can also occur with conditions involving the kidneys, hormones, metabolism, or other body systems.
Veterinary evaluation commonly includes a history, physical examination, blood tests, and urine testing when abnormal thirst or urination is present.
Urinary or Metabolic Problems
A dog that repeatedly seeks out urine may also have an abnormal interest in it because of changes in thirst or urination.
Frequent urination, large volumes of urine, urine accidents, straining to urinate, or a major increase in water consumption are more useful medical clues than urine drinking by itself.
Urinary disorders can have many causes, so the complete pattern matters.
Dog Eating Poop and Drinking Pee but Acting Normal
If your dog is eating poop and drinking pee but otherwise appears completely normal, a behavioral or scavenging explanation is possible.
This is especially true when the behavior has been present for a long time, and there are no changes in appetite, weight, stool quality, thirst, urination, or energy.
Still, a sudden change in an adult dog’s eating habits deserves more attention than an occasional episode in an otherwise healthy puppy.
Dog Eating Poop and Drinking Pee Suddenly
A sudden change is more important than an occasional episode that has occurred throughout the dog’s life.
New coprophagia can sometimes accompany increased appetite, digestive problems, nutritional issues, or other medical conditions.
If drinking urine also begins suddenly, pay attention to whether your dog is drinking much more water than usual or producing more urine.
Those changes can provide important information for your veterinarian.
Dog Eating Poop and Drinking Pee With Diarrhea
Diarrhea makes an underlying digestive problem more important to consider. Parasites, dietary problems, gastrointestinal inflammation, infections, and disorders affecting digestion or nutrient absorption can cause abnormal stools and may contribute to coprophagia.
Persistent diarrhea combined with weight loss, poor appetite, vomiting, or weakness warrants veterinary evaluation.
Dog Eating Poop and Drinking Pee With Weight Loss
Weight loss is a particularly important accompanying sign. A dog that eats feces because of simple scavenging may maintain normal weight and health.
Weight loss despite eating normally, increased hunger, chronic diarrhea, or unusually large stools can point toward a problem involving digestion, nutrient absorption, parasites, or metabolism.
Related: Dog Eating Poop When Sick (Causes and what to do)
When to Call or Visit the Vet
Contact your veterinarian if your dog repeatedly eats poop and drinks pee, particularly if the behavior is new or occurs with other changes.
Veterinary assessment is especially appropriate if your dog has:
Weight loss or difficulty maintaining weight
Persistent diarrhea or unusually abnormal stools
Repeated vomiting
A dramatic increase in appetite
Excessive thirst or noticeably increased urination
Frequent urine accidents
Straining or difficulty urinating
Poor growth in a puppy
Weakness, lethargy, or reduced activity
A swollen or painful abdomen
Blood in the stool or urine
Other sudden changes in behavior or appetite
Difficulty urinating, repeated vomiting, severe weakness, significant abdominal pain or swelling, or a dog that appears seriously ill needs immediate veterinary attention.
Dog Eating Poop and Drinking Pee: Treatment
Treatment depends on whether the behavior is behavioral or related to an underlying medical problem. The veterinarian may perform a physical examination and review a dog’s diet, appetite, stool quality, weight, thirst, urination, and medical history.
Fecal testing may be recommended to look for parasites, while blood and urine tests can help investigate metabolic, kidney, digestive, or other systemic problems when indicated.
If an underlying disease is identified, treatment is directed at that condition; if the dog is healthy and the behavior is primarily behavioral, management focuses on preventing access to feces and urine, appropriate supervision, and consistent behavior training.
Key Takeaway
A dog eating poop and drinking pee may simply be scavenging or displaying a learned behavior, particularly if the dog is otherwise healthy.
Coprophagia is relatively common, especially in puppies, and does not automatically mean that a dog has a nutritional deficiency or serious disease.
However, a sudden or persistent change deserves more attention when it occurs alongside diarrhea, weight loss, excessive hunger, increased thirst, increased urination, vomiting, or changes in energy.
In those situations, a veterinary examination can help determine whether the behavior is simply behavioral or is being driven by an underlying medical problem.