Parasites can be another of the causes for this behavior.
![dog pica dirt leaking intermittent dog pica dirt leaking intermittent](https://image.slideserve.com/416318/treating-chronic-blood-loss-n.jpg)
If a person with pica has an intellectual disability or mental health condition, medications for managing behavioral problems may also help reduce or eliminate their desire to eat nonnutritive items. There are several possible causes of dogs eating feces or other non-food items, including malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, increased appetite, or conditions such as diabetes, or thyroid disease. A 2000 study published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis suggested that a simple multivitamin supplement may be an effective treatment in some cases. Until recently, research hasn’t focused on medications to help people with pica. Depending on your diagnosis, they may prescribe medications, therapy, or both. Your doctor may also order a psychological evaluation to determine if you have OCD or another mental health condition. For example, they’ll recommend taking regular iron supplements if you’re diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. If your doctor thinks your pica is caused by nutrient imbalances, they may prescribe vitamin or mineral supplements. This medication may be taken by mouth, or your doctor may prescribe intravenous chelation medications for lead poisoning, such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). If a nutritional deficiency is causing your pica, treating it should ease your symptoms. This will allow you to excrete the lead in your urine. In children and pregnant women, pica often goes away in a few months without treatment. In this procedure, you’ll be given medication that binds with lead. For example, if you have severe lead poisoning from eating paint chips, your doctor may prescribe chelation therapy. Your doctor will probably begin by treating any complications you’ve acquired from eating nonfood items.