My Elderly CS ( 13 Years) eats so much rubbish, old leaves, mud, small pebbles, moss the birds knock off the roof etc. 2 weeks ago I took her for a good MOT at the vets, and she proved to be in very good nick for her age. Just a bit of a heart murmur and teeth a little worn, but bloods and all the rest was very good. She has been wormed just in case this was the cause, but she is still eating the most weird things.
She is fed AG lamb so she should be getting all she needs from the food.
Any ideas as to why she eats these things, I really don't understand why mud and small pebbles should be considered 'tasty treats'

Its called Pica, and could possible have a medical reason such as anaemia or diabetes. I would have the vet run some bloods to rule out a medical problem. It could just be a habit she has formed and nothing but being very diligent and watching or muzzling will help.
Aileen

Sillysue,

My flatcoat who is rising ten years has just had a large tumour removed from her withers area. We are awaiting results from Cambridge (flacoat tumour survey scheme) the results from basic path tests were inconclusive. It came up rapidly. I will be delighted but amazed if it isn't malignant.

When her mum had cancer, she would frantically eat soil as if she desperately needed it.
Lucy is now showing the same behaviour. I have wondered for a long time if there something in the soil that can help in some way. Animal instinct?

Strangely, I recently heard a news report that scientists in The States are working on producing a new antibiotic from organisms found in soil.

There is an NSAID being used to control some forms of canine cancers with some success. My Lucie has a litter brother who is currently on this, I am hoping it may help her too, if the results are positive from Cambridge.
Piroxicam is the generic name.

Sillysue, I am not suggesting your girlie may have cancer, just relating my own experience with my own girls.

Many thanks, I think a trip back to the vets in needed again next week - just for peace of mind, or fingers crossed there is nothing bad but I would prefer to know if it is. She has developed several large lumps which have tested as fatty, but in the last couple of weeks I have found a hard lump on top of her head. It feels different to the fatty lumps,.very similar to the mast cell tumour my Beagle had removed recently, but I have decided that should it be sinister I will not put her through treatment at her age. I haven't had this lump checked as it is or it isn't, but at the moment it is not causing her any trouble. I hope that she hasn't developed any tumours internally. Definitely a vets visit Monday

I really hope all goes well Sillysue. It is so worrying as they get older.

> Any ideas as to why she eats these things

Senility/greed.  so many elderly dogs in my breed seem to go for licking the floor, oven door etc.

She had bloods taken today and a needle sample taken from the lump on her head. I am now waiting for the results while she chomps her way through mouthfuls of mud !!!

All results back and it seems that she is in very good nick for her age with nothing to worry about. The lump on her head in not cancerous and her bloods show that everything is working well. I have been advised to try to stop her eating mud because of all the bad parasites that she could ingest, however I have never stood by and just watched her eat mud. I have always stopped her as much as I can, but they always find a way when your back is turned or you are too far away and they feel they can grab a couple of mouthfuls in the time it takes me to reach her.
At least peace of mind and I still have no idea why mud appeals to her lately. Dear cantankerous sweetheart that she is.