Bir Alman Çoban Köpeğinde Psikojenik Litofaji

Licking, chewing or ingesting non-nutritive substances is defined as pica. Although pica is generally reported to be due to trace element deficiencies, both medical and behavioral causes for pica must be considered. In the current case, it was aimed to report the clinical reflections of lithophagia associated with behavioral disorder in a dog and the haematobiochemical and some radiographic findings. The research material was consisted of a German shepherd dog with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. The result of blood hematobiochemistry was not indicative of alterations that could be associated with the pica, while diagnostic imaging revealed the presence of pebbles in the rectum. Blood samples were also examined to determine possible trace element deficiencies, but no significant changes were observed in these parameters. Given that pica, the ingestion of non-edible materials, is a recognized sign of behavioral problems, this aspect must be appropriately investigated, diagnosed and treated.