Finding out that your furry friend has eaten a chunk of drywall can be a pet owner’s worst nightmare. However, there’s no need to panic as it is common. Here’s what you should do if your dog eats drywall and how to prevent it from happening again.
Why Did My Dog Eat The Drywall?
Firstly, it’s essential to understand why your dog ate the drywall. Dogs may chew on almost anything, including drywalls in unfinished garages or bedrooms. Enlisted below are some common causes why dogs eat drywall.
- Anxiety: Your pup may be scratching or chewing on the drywall when left alone or when there are multiple guests around, which means they might have anxiety. Separation anxiety or normal anxiety can lead to destructive behavior, causing them to scratch or eat drywall.
- Boredom: Lack of exercise, socializing, or affection may lead to boredom in your dog, and they may show bad behavior characteristics such as scratching or chewing the drywall.
- Due to smell: Dogs have a high sense of smell and can detect smells we cannot. They might smell something unusual from the drywall or hear something such as termites, birds, rodents, or pests, which can lead to scratching or chewing the drywall to alert you of the presence of these creatures.
If these are not the issues, it’s best to get your dog examined by a vet as there might be a possibility that your dog is facing some medical or neurological problems.
Is Drywall Poisonous If Eaten By A Dog?
Drywall is not poisonous to dogs but can cause irritation and respiratory concerns. Certain drywall materials can be harmful, such as Chinese drywall made from pyrite chemicals that can cause respiratory issues, eye problems, skin irritations, and corrosion in pipelines. Even a small amount of this material can cause respiratory problems, abdominal swelling, and vomiting. Asbestos is also extremely harmful if ingested or inhaled by your dog, and if your dog chews on drywall containing this material, it can negatively impact its health.
What To Do If A Dog Eats Drywall?
If your dog eats drywall, it is important to attend to your dog’s health first. Once your pup is safe, you can then address the damage to your drywall. To ensure the safety of your pup, take the following steps:
Taking Care of Your Dog
Taking Care of Your Drywall
Once you have taken care of your pup, you can focus on repairing your drywall. Follow these steps to fix the damage:
- Clean the drywall and remove any debris or high spots from the wall.
- Use a putty knife and drywall compound (you can also use an old joint compound) to fill the holes on your wall and press it in until it is smooth.
- Once the compound is dry, use sandpaper to smooth out your drywall.
- Remove any dust before priming or painting. Inhaling Drywall dust can make you sick, but it also could be visible if you don’t remove it from the wall when you finally start to prime or paint. You can use a vacuum cleaner for this purpose but not just any. Check out this article before you do anything, as it might save you from ruining your vacuum cleaner.
- Prime and paint the drywall to give it a smooth finish. If you have wallpaper, you may need to replace it entirely.
How to Stop Your Dog from Eating Drywall?
- Use bitter-tasting or corrector sprays that are safe for dogs.
- Surround your Drywall with anti-chew and anti-scratch panels.
- Cover your Drywall with furniture to stop your dog’s access.
- Call a pest removal service if your Drywall has pests.
- Distract your pup with toys or treats.
- Crate train your pup to keep them away from the Drywall.
- Reduce stress and provide exercise.
- Have your pup checked for Pica and treat accordingly.
- Ignore their behavior, as scolding or punishing them can cause confusion.
- Seek help from a dog behavioral therapist.