Why Do Dogs Eat Toilet Paper? 5 Clear Reasons And 10 Bad Health Symptoms

Dogs are very curious about things. This behavior is very much in the newborn dogs that ingest anything that is around them. The dogs can eat or ingest many things like playdough, toilet paper, etc. ingestion of these things is dangerous for the dogs.

Why Do Dogs Eat Toilet Paper? Dogs may eat toilet paper because of a medical issue known as Pica. Pica makes dogs eat inedible things. Pica occurs due to Zinc deficiency and Anemia. Anxiety makes dogs shred or chew the toilet paper to get soothing. Dog eating toilet paper is harmful for its health.

In this article, we will discuss, Eating toilet paper is bad for dogs or not, how we can stop dogs from eating toilet paper, and many other things related to ingestion of toilet paper by dogs.

Is It Toxic For Dogs To Eat Toilet Paper?

Yes, the eating of paper is not good for dogs. It can cause serious complications. Why do dogs eat toilet paper?   The paper is harmful to dogs in many ways.

Toilet paper is made up of cellulose, and it is found in plants. Cellulose is an organic compound. For the digestion of cellulose, there is an enzyme that is helpful in digestion which is called cellulase. But, it does help only if dog eats a small amount of toilet paper.

Can Dogs Eat Toilet Paper?

No, dogs cannot eat toilet paper. Why do dogs eat toilet paper?  The eating of toilet paper by the dogs leads to serious gastro is. It can disturb the digestive system of dogs. If your dog eats toilet paper, then there is a chance that he may be the victim of vomiting and stomach issues.

Dog ate toilet paper and constipated? The ingestion of paper by the dogs could lead to blockage in the intestine and result in constipation.

Can Toilet Paper Kill A Dog?

There are two answers to this question. Why do dogs eat toilet paper?  If the dogs eat less amount of paper, then it is not much harmful to dogs. But if the dogs eat a large amount of paper, it will result in the blockage of the intestine and result in severe constipation in dogs.

Many cases are seen in which surgery is performed to open the intestines of dogs. The blockage of the intestine may result in the death of dogs.

Why Does My Dog Eat Toilet Paper With Poop

Why do dogs eat toilet paper with poop? Pica might be the reason for eating toilet paper with poop. The Pica is not only in dogs. Humans are also victims of this disease. In Pica, the dogs want to eat non-edible things that are not for dogs. They started eating such things and resulted in serious complications and issues.

Is Toilet Paper Digestible?

No, the toilet paper is not digestible for the dogs. Suppose the dogs eat small toilet paper, then it not dangerous. The dogs will show minute illness. If the dog eats toilet paper in large quantities, then it is not digestible for dogs.

Paper is made up of cellulose and other chemicals like bleaches. The large quantities of paper result in vomiting and gastrointestinal issues.

How Eating Of Toilet Paper Will Harms Dog’s Health

Eating toilet paper leads to digestive issues. If the puppy eats the toilet paper, it may get stomach issues resulting in intestinal blockage, stomach issues, and lethargy. Toilet paper is only for humans, not for dogs, and toilet paper is harmful to dogs. The dogs will also get many issues like constipation that is known as the mother of diseases.

Symptoms of intestine blockage are refusal to eat, pain, bloating, and weight loss. If the dogs get constipation due to the intestine’s blockage, you may consult with your vet. If there is a severe blockage, the vet will perform the surgery to treat the dogs and open up the intestine.

Dog Ate Tissue Paper – What Are The Side Effects

Toilet paper is harmful and dangerous for dogs. If your puppy ate toilet paper, then the side effects are similar to what happens in adult dogs.

If there is too much tissue paper and spreads all over any area of the home, dogs may eat the toilet paper. 

Many symptoms include

• Dehydration
• Diarrhea
• Throwing up
• Lethargy
• Constipation
• Rapid health decline
• Severe stomach sensitivity
• Weight loss
• Bloating
• Appetite loss

Why do dogs eat toilet paper? It could be because of Pica, a mental health issue that causes dogs to eat non-edible things. If My dog ate toilet paper and is vomiting, I will immediately consult with my Vet.

You may see many other symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, and appetite loss. It can also lead to intestinal blockage as an extreme consequence of a dog eating too much toilet paper.

My Dog Ate Toilet Paper – What Are The Reasons?

Many reasons are there for the eating of toilet paper by the dogs. You need to keep these non-edibles items out of reach of dogs then the dog will not be able to eat the toilet paper.

For Fun

The dogs are very intuitive. That is why they eat all things around them without knowing the side effects of these items. The dog very easily shreds the toilet paper. That is why dogs are very appealing, and dogs feel curious to eat the toilet paper.

Why do dogs eat toilet paper? The dogs feel fun shredding the things and then want to eat these things. They entertain themselves by doing this type of thing when they are indoor.

Separation Anxiety, And Stress

Why do dogs eat toilet paper? When the dogs get stressed or bored, then the behavior of the dogs will be destructive and seeking. This can be wall tearing, eating toilet paper, and chewing shoes. Stress can be in many ways the most important reason is the external environment.

If there is a firework in the environment near the dogs, then the dog’s behavior changes, and they will react accordingly. 

Separation anxiety leads to behavior destruction in the dogs. When the dog feels alone for a long duration of time, then the dogs start chewing the things, and the dog may scratch the household things because of the separation anxiety. If you see separation anxiety in dogs, you should do something to make them feel good.

Teething Phase

Why do dogs eat toilet paper?  When the dog is in the teething phase, then the dogs want to chew things. You should provide him with the chew toys; otherwise, the dog eats the things around them. If the dog can rush into the washroom, then the dog may eat the toilet paper.

To get soothing the dog chews the things in the teething phase. You may find many chew toys to stop your dogs from eating toilet paper.

Pica Condition

In pica condition, the dogs eat the things or substances that are not good for them. The dogs want to eat the non-edibles items. Humans are also victims of Pica disease.

Why do dogs eat toilet paper in Pica?  Pica is a condition of consumption of non-edible substances. The problem is very dangerous for dogs because the dog eats that substance that can block the digestive system, and it can also block the intestine of dogs. The dogs are unable to poop. The vet will perform the operation or endoscopy to open up the intestines.

There are many reasons behind the eating of toilet paper by the dogs.

• Anxiety and stress
• Hormonal imbalance
• Deficiency in nutrition
• Environmental changes
• Disturbance in mental health
• Diabetes
• Illness

Hunger

The dogs can eat the toilet paper because of hunger. When the dogs feel hunger pangs, they eat the thing from home even though it is not edible for dogs. There is an energy drop in dogs due to the fewer calories; then, the dogs will get the hunger pangs and eat the household items if there is no food for dogs.

Why do dogs eat toilet paper?  The dogs don’t know the toilet paper is not suitable for them. They eat. The toilet paper has no calories. It has zero nutritional value.

My Dog Ate Toilet Paper What Do I Do?

If the dogs eat the toilet paper and show severe symptoms, then you must consult with your vet to treat the dogs. The vet will check the severity of symptoms then prescribe the medicine accordingly.

Why do dogs eat toilet paper?  If the dogs eat a high amount of paper, it will result in the intestine block, and an operation is necessary to open the intestine of dogs.

How To Stop Your Dog From Eating Toilet Paper

Why do dogs eat toilet paper?  a dog chews things when they are in the teething phase. It would be best if you stopped dogs from eating non-edibles items.

Dog eating toilet paper is harmful in many ways. If a dog is curious or feels anxiety from separation from owners, you will see chewing behavior of dogs. My dog ate toilet paper; how I can stop my dogs eating toilet paper in the future?

You can stop dogs in many ways that include the below

It would help if you closed the bathroom door of your home. Keep toilet paper out of reach of dogs then dog will not be able to reach toilet paper. In this way, you can save dogs from eating toilet paper. Keep toilet paper in lock so the dog will not eat it.

Buy bins with locking lids to stop pets from eating toilet paper from washroom cans. You must check whether the dog can open the lid or not. If a dog opens it, then you can change it by a strong garbage bin that is not easily opened by dogs. plastic bins should be hard or thick; otherwise, you may use metal. Throw waste from the bin regularly. In this way, dogs will not eat toilet paper.

You can use the baby gate to keep the dog in it when you are not present at home. You can keep dogs in a close and small room like a laundry room when you are not at home. Make sure that there will be no item in the room that is chewable by dogs.

You can use many other chew toys to stop the dog from eating the toilet paper. Uses of chew toys will help the jaws and neck muscles stronger, and there are no side effects of the toys. There are also dental chews from dogs that will clean up the teeth of dogs.

You can use many edibles on toys like peanut butter if your dogs are not okay with a toy. Uses of these edibles make dogs chew toys. Dogs will lick that item and feel excited and enjoyed. In this way, they also gain a lot of energy from these edibles.

If dogs enter the washroom, then stop him by saying “No.” This will be helpful to train dogs. After a couple of weeks, dogs will be able to get the command, and in this way, they will not go to the washroom and not eat toilet paper.

Final Verdict – Why Do Dogs Eat Toilet Paper

The dog eats the toilet paper because of its curious nature. There are many reasons for eating toilet paper by the dogs like teething pages, separation anxiety, emotional imbalance, etc. As a responsible pet parent, you can stop dogs from eating toilet paper in many ways by keeping it away from their reach and other methods.

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Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️