Coprophagia is the consumption of feces, from the Greek copros (feces) and phagein (eat). Many animal species practice coprophagia; other species do not normally consume feces but may do so under unusual conditions. Only in rare cases is it practiced by humans, usually as a manifestation of psychiatric illness.^[1] Horse feces Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animals digestive tract expelled through the anus (or cloaca) during defecation. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Species (disambiguation). ... This article is about modern humans. ... The Scream, the famous painting commonly thought of as depicting the experience of mental illness. ...

Evolved coprophagia

Two Common Blue butterflies feed on a small lump of feces lying on a rock.

Coprophagous insects consume and redigest the feces of large animals; these feces contain substantial amounts of semi-digested food. (Herbivore digestive systems are especially inefficient.) The most famous feces-eating insect is the dung-beetle and the most ubiquitous is the fly. Download high resolution version (1600x800, 101 KB)Two blue butterflies eating poo. ... Download high resolution version (1600x800, 101 KB)Two blue butterflies eating poo. ... Binomial name Polyommatus icarus (Rottemburg, 1775) The Common Blue Polyommatus icarus is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. ... Superfamilies and families Superfamily Hedyloidea: Hedylidae Superfamily Hesperioidea: Hesperiidae Superfamily Papilionoidea: Papilionidae Pieridae Nymphalidae Lycaenidae Riodinidae A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. ... Horse feces Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animals digestive tract expelled through the anus (or cloaca) during defecation. ... For the industrial process, see anaerobic digestion. ... Horse feces Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animals digestive tract expelled through the anus (or cloaca) during defecation. ... A deer and two fawns feeding on some foliage A herbivore is often defined as any organism that eats only plants[1]. By that definition, many fungi, some bacteria, many animals, about 1% of flowering plants and some protists can be considered herbivores. ... Gut redirects here. ... Dung beetles (also known as tumble bugs) are beetles which feed partly or exclusively on feces. ... Omnipresence is the ability to be present in every place at any, and/or every, time; unbounded or universal presence. ... For other uses, see Fly (disambiguation) and Flies (disambiguation). ...

Pigs are most commonly associated with eating not only their own dung, but also that of other animals and humans. This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Horse feces Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animals digestive tract expelled through the anus (or cloaca) during defecation. ...

Capybara, rabbits, guinea pigs and other related species do not have a complex ruminant digestive system. Instead they extract more nutrition from grass by giving their food a second pass through the gut. Soft caecal pellets of partially digested food are excreted and generally consumed immediately. They also produce normal droppings, which are not eaten. Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1766) Capybara range Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris,[1][2] also known as capibara, chigüiro and carpincho in Spanish,[3][4][5] and capivara in Portuguese[4]) is the largest living rodent in the world. ... For other uses, see Rabbit (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Guinea pig (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ruminantia. ... The Nutrition Facts table indicates the amounts of nutrients which experts recommend you limit or consume in adequate amounts. ... For other uses, see Grass (disambiguation). ... Gut redirects here. ... Cecotropes (also caecotrophes) also known as night faeces, are the product of the cecum, a part of the digestive system in mammals of the order lagomorpha, which includes two families: Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). ... The kidneys are important excretory organs in vertebrates. ... Horse feces Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animals digestive tract expelled through the anus (or cloaca) during defecation. ...

Young elephants, pandas, koalas, and hippos eat the feces of their mother to obtain the bacteria required to properly digest vegetation found on the savanna and in the jungle. When they are born, their intestines do not contain these bacteria (they are completely sterile). Without them, they would be unable to get any nutritional value from plants. Genera and Species Loxodonta Loxodonta cyclotis Loxodonta africana Elephas Elephas maximus Elephas antiquus † Elephas beyeri † Elephas celebensis † Elephas cypriotes † Elephas ekorensis † Elephas falconeri † Elephas iolensis † Elephas planifrons † Elephas platycephalus † Elephas recki † Stegodon † Mammuthus † Elephantidae (the elephants) is a family of pachyderm, and the only remaining family in the order Proboscidea... Panda Bear redirects here. ... For other uses, see Koala (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758[2] Range map[1] The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), from the Greek ἱπποπόταμος (hippopotamos, hippos meaning horse and potamos meaning river), often shortened to hippo, is a large, mostly plant-eating African mammal, one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae (the other being the Pygmy... For other uses, see Mother (disambiguation). ... Phyla Actinobacteria Aquificae Chlamydiae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Lentisphaerae Nitrospirae Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Verrucomicrobia Bacteria (singular: bacterium) are unicellular microorganisms. ... Aerial view of mixed aspen-spruce forest in Alaska Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover life forms, structure, spatial extent or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. ... This article is about grassland. ... Box Log Falls, Lamington National Park, Queensland, Australia Jungle usually refers to a dense forest in a hot climate, such as a tropical rainforest. ... In anatomy, the intestine is the segment of the alimentary canal extending from the stomach to the anus and, in humans and other mammals, consists of two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine. ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ...

Gorillas eat their own feces and the feces of other gorillas. Species Gorilla gorilla Gorilla beringei The gorilla, the largest of the primates, is a ground-dwelling herbivore that inhabits the forests of central Africa. ...

Hamsters eat their own droppings, which are thought to be a source of vitamins B and K, produced by bacteria in the gut. Apes have been observed eating horse feces for the salt content. Monkeys have been observed eating elephant feces. Coprophagia also has been observed in the naked mole rat. Genera see text This article is about the animal. ... Retinol (one vitamer of Vitamin A) A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. ... The B vitamins are eight water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism. ... Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone). ... This article is about the biological superfamily. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... This article is about common table salt. ... Approximate worldwide distribution of monkeys. ... Binomial name Rüppell, 1842 Distribution of the Naked Mole Rat The naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber), also known as the sand puppy, or desert mole rat, is a burrowing rodent native to parts of East Africa and the only species currently classified in genus Heterocephalus. ...

Theories on dogs

Coprophagia is a behavior often observed in dogs. Hofmeister, Cumming, and Dhein (2001) wrote that this behavior in dogs has not been well-researched, and they are currently preparing a study. In a preliminary paper, they write that there are various hypotheses for this behavior in canines, although none have been proven: This article is about the domestic dog. ... A canine may refer to: a canine tooth. ...

• To obtain attention from their caretakers.
• From anxiety, stress, or upon being punished for bad behaviors.
• They had been punished for having defecated in the past, and attempt to clean up out of fear of being punished again.
• From boredom.
• In an attempt to clean up in crowded conditions.
• Mimicry of behavior observed when their caretakers pick up feces (allelomimetic behavior). This is highly improbable because the behavior has also been observed in environments where caretakers never picked up the dog's (or other's) feces.
• Because puppies taste everything and discover that feces are edible and, perhaps, tasty, especially when fed a high fat content diet.
• Because dogs are, by nature, scavengers, and this is within the range of scavenger behavior.
• To prevent the scent from attracting predators, especially mother dogs eating their offspring's feces.
• Because the texture and temperature of fresh feces approximates that of regurgitated food, which is how canine mothers in the wild would provide solid food to their pups
• Because of the protein content of the feces (particularly cat feces), or over-feeding, leading to large concentrations of undigested matter in the feces.
• Due to assorted health problems, including:
  • Pancreatitis
  • Intestinal infections
  • Food allergies, leading to mal-absorption
• Because they are hungry, such as when eating routines are changed, food is withheld, or nutrients are not properly absorbed.
• Carnivores may sometimes eat or roll in the feces of their prey to ingest and exude scents which mask their own.

Some veterinarians recommend adding meat tenderizer to dogfood, as this makes the feces taste excessively bad to dogs. Several companies produce food additives that can also be added to the animal's food to make feces taste bad.^{[citation needed]} Often, these food additives will contain Capsicum Oleoresin which gives off a repugnant odor making the fecal matter undesirable to the dog. This article is about state anxiety. ... Stress has different meanings in different fields: Look up stress in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up Punishment in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Anatomy of the anus and rectum For the death metal band Defecation, see Defecation (band). ... Boring and Bored redirect here. ... For other uses, see Mimic (disambiguation). ... a Great Pyrenees pup A puppy is a juvenile dog, generally less than one year of age that has not reached the equivalent of dog puberty yet. ... For a person who scavenges, see Waste picker. ... Olfaction, the sense of smell, is the detection of chemicals dissolved in air (or, by animals that breathe water, in water). ... This snapping turtle is trying to make a meal of a Canada goose, but the goose is too wary. ... For other uses, see Mother (disambiguation). ... In biology, offspring are the product of reproduction, a new organism produced by one or more parents. ... For other uses, see Temperature (disambiguation). ... Regurgitation is the passive flow of stomach contents back into the esophagus and mouth. ... A representation of the 3D structure of myoglobin showing coloured alpha helices. ... Binomial name Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms Felis lybica invalid junior synonym The cat (or domestic cat, house cat) is a small carnivorous mammal. ... Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. ... In anatomy, the intestine is the segment of the alimentary canal extending from the stomach to the anus and, in humans and other mammals, consists of two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine. ... A food allergy is an immunologic response to a food protein. ... Hunger is a feeling experienced when the glycogen level of the liver falls below a threshold, usually followed by a desire to eat. ... A nutrient is a substance used in an organisms metabolism which must be taken in from the environment. ... Carnivorism redirects here. ... Prey can refer to: Look up Prey in Wiktionary, the free dictionary A prey animal eaten by a predator in an act called predation. ... In general terms, eating (formally, ingestion) is the process of consuming something edible, i. ... Look up veterinarian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A meat tenderizer on a wooden cutting board. ... Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or improve its taste and appearance. ...

Due to the attraction of dogs to their own feces, a popular Chinese idiom states "A dog cannot change its habit of eating feces", which usually refers to a bad habit that is difficult to correct.^{[citation needed]} An idiom is an expression (i. ... Habits are automatic routines of behavior that are repeated regularly, without thinking. ...

Humans

Sexual aspects

Coprophagia is extremely uncommon in humans. It is generally thought to be the result of the paraphilia known as coprophilia. Similar risk of classification can apply to related sexual fetishes, such as analingus or inserting an object into the mouth that recently has been in the anus (see ass to mouth). Coprophagia is also sometimes depicted in pornography, usually under the terms "scat" or "shitplay" or even "kaviar". Look up paraphilia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up coprophilia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Sexual fetishism, first described as such by Sigmund Freud though the concept and certainly the activity is quite ancient, is a form of paraphilia where the object of affection is a specific inanimate object or part of a persons body. ... 14th century manuscript illustration of the accusations of sodomy against the Knights Templar Anal_oral contact (commonly referred to as anilingus and colloquially known as rimming or tossing salad) is sexual activity involving contact between the anus or perianal areas of one person and the mouth of another. ... Ass to mouth is a colloquial term for the removal of the penis from the passive partners anus followed by the immediate insertion of the penis into the passive partners or another partners mouth. ... Porn redirects here. ...

Medical aspects

From the medical literature, coprophagia has been observed in a small number of patients with dementia and/or schizophrenia^[2] and depression.^[3] For other uses, see Dementia (disambiguation). ...

Consuming other people's feces carries the risk of contracting diseases spread through fecal matter, such as Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, pneumonia, and influenza. Coprophagia also carries a risk of contracting intestinal parasites. Vaccinations are generally recommended for those who engage in this practice. Human feces in a toilet after defecation Human Feces (also faeces — see spelling differences), also known as stools, is the waste product of the human digestive system and varies significantly in appearance, depending on the state of the whole digestive system, influenced by diet and health. ... Species Hepatitis A virus Hepatitis A (formerly known as infectious hepatitis) is an acute infectious disease of the liver caused by the hepatovirus hepatitis A virus. ... Hepatitis E is an acute viral hepatitis (liver inflammation) caused by infection with a virus called hepatitis E virus (HEV). ... This article is about human pneumonia. ... Flu redirects here. ... A vial of the vaccine against influenza. ...

Lewin (2001) reports that "... consumption of fresh, warm camel feces has been recommended by Bedouins as a remedy for bacterial dysentery; its efficacy (probably attributable to the antibiotic subtilisin from Bacillus subtilis) was confirmed by German soldiers in Africa during World War II." For other uses, see Camel (disambiguation). ... A Bedouin man in Sinai Peninsula The Bedouin, (from the Arabic (), pl. ... Dysentery (formerly known as flux or the bloody flux) is frequent, small-volume, severe diarrhea that shows blood in the feces along with intestinal cramping and tenesmus (painful straining to pass stool). ... Staphylococcus aureus - Antibiotics test plate. ... Subtilisin (serine endopeptidase) is a proteolytic enzyme initially obtained from Bacillus subtilis. ... Binomial name Bacillus subtilis (Ehrenberg 1835) Cohn 1872 Gram-stained Bacillus subtilis Sporulating Bacillus subtilis Bacillus subtilis is a Gram-positive, catalase-positive bacterium commonly found in soil. ... This article is about a military rank. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Cultural aspects

Punk musician and performance artist GG Allin often engaged in coprophagia during his performances. Punk Rock is an anti-establishment music movement that began about 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified by The Ramones,the Misfits, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... Performance art is art where the actions of an individual or a group at a particular place and in a particular time, constitute the work. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

See also

• BDSM
• Cecotropes
• Feces
• Urolagnia
• 2 Girls 1 Cup
• Human Toilet

Collars are a commonly used symbol of BDSM and can be ornamental or functional. ... Cecotrope Cecotropes, originally spelled caecotrophes, and also called night faeces, are the product of the cecum, a part of the digestive system in lagomorphs and a few species of rodent. ... Horse feces Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animals digestive tract expelled through the anus (or cloaca) during defecation. ... Golden shower redirects here. ...

Notes

References

• Lewin, Ralph A. (2001). ""More on Merde"". Perspectives in Biology and Medicine 44 (4): 594-607.  PMID 11600805
• Hofmeister, Erik, Melinda Cumming, and Cheryl Dhein (2001). "Owner Documentation of Coprophagia in the Canine".. Accessed November 17, 2005.
• Wise, T.N., and R.L. Goldberg (1995). ""Escalation of a fetish: coprophagia in a nonpsychotic adult of normal intelligence"". J. Sex Marital Ther. 21 (4): 272-5.  PMID 8789509

External links

• King County, Washington, Animal Control Section. "Eating His Own or Other Animal Feces."
• Why Does My Dog Eat Feces? - Theresa A. Fuess, Ph.D, College of Vet Medicine
• Coprophagia: Effective Treatment for Dogs Eating Feces
• Coprophagia in the Canine - Erik Hofmeister; Melinda Cumming, DVM PhD; Cheryl Dhein, DVM, MS, DACVIM; Douglas Island Veterinary Service; detailed preliminary results of study of behavior and prevention in dogs
• Rat care guide
• Break.com - Video of Coprophagia by a Gorilla
• Yesterday's Food Will Become Tomorrow's Food Dr David Ryde MB BS FRCP
• Exploring Coprophilia: A lot to digest by Bill Andriette. The Guide Online, January 1999.