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My dog eats snails in the garden. Is it dangerous? How can I stop him?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Samoyed | Male | unneutered | 3 months and 25 days old | 13 lbs

Whenever I take my dog out to the garden to urinate, he always tries to eat snails. Is this dangerous? If so, how can I prevent him from continuing to do this?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Anna M., DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 20th, 2017

Most snails are not dangerous, but snails can carry parasites such as lungworms that can infect dogs, and they may cause GI upset such as vomiting and diarrhea so it's best to discourage him from eating them. Puppies explore the world with their mouth so there's no quick and easy way to prevent him from eating them, other than keep him away from where they are (if possible), or simply watch him closely and tell him "no!" and take it away when you see him try to pick one up. It will probably help to have some of his kibbles with you, or small treats, both to encourage him to drop the snail and to reward him for listening when you tell him "no". Good luck!

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Catherine Stecyk

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 5th, 2019

    Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. While snails are generally nontoxic, they can cause GI upset such as vomiting or diarrhea, and may increase the risk of infection with lungworm, a parasite that infects the lungs. Since he is on interceptor, the risk is low, however I still recommend monitoring for the development of any coughing or increased breathing effort. I would discourage this eating snails behavior in the future! If that means keeping him on a leash while he is outside, that may be necessary. I hope this is helpful!

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