Hi everyone,
My 4 month old dobe regularly eats the rabbit droppings in our garden. Through the night we get lots of them, digging and eating my plants My other dogs did the same, with no ill effects, but I was just wondering if they could be harmful in anyway, or is it as someone else told me they are full of protein?
Bev

Even rabbits eat their own droppings!!

My dogs have always thought of them as Smarties.....and have never come to any harm.

That's what i figured:D She also picks up sheep droppings from the back field, and I had never heard of a dog coming to any harm from this. Just seems a little distasteful:D if you'll pardon the pun. But dogs eat all sorts of yuck, don't they:D As you say she probably regards them as little treats left on the lawn for her to hoover up.
Bev

...in theory sheep/cow muck wont harm, however you need to beari n mind that the effect of any medicines in their system, such as wormer, fluke drench, antibiotics etc could have a nasty effest on them. i never allow my hounds to hoover up the horses manure for 48 hours after worming them as I have heard of several dogs becoming seriously ill from horse wormer. You should be ok with wild rabbit droppings as long as no-one is using an eradication (poisoning) programme on the land where their warren is.

Hi,

Rabbits don't eat all their own droppings only some of them.

I believe this is because of the difficulties in digesting grass - ruminants have multiple stomachs to do this and rabbits eat the grass, pass it and then eat it again

Dogs eat the grass and either bring it back up or quite often need owner assistance in, umm, ahhh, getting rid of it.

Christine

Dead right Christine. The first time it's very soft and messy - the second is the hard dry pellets you see scattered around.

Lovely subject

Pam n the boys

On the subject of dogs eating disgusting things....:D

Pepper eats Cow Pats...during our walk every evening the fresher they are the better... :p

Will this do her any harm...

..as I find it very difficult to drag her off when she is in mid-flow...

Vicki & Peps :)

For as long as I've had dogs they have always ate rabbit droppings and cow pats (the summer runny ones being best - yeuk) and so far have come to no harm. They even had a go at the mineral blocks that were put out for the Highland Cattle - but that shot out of them faster than it went in !!!! Didn't put them off though. I will only get worried when they start to moo instead of woofing !

Margaret.