Does Your Pet Need Calcium? Find Out!
It's essential to consider whether additional calcium supplementation is needed for pets based on their specific circumstances. Many pet owners who predominantly feed their pets homemade diets must ensure that their furry friends receive a balanced intake of vitamins, trace minerals, and calciumphosphorus supplements according to nutritional guidelines.
Which pets might require extra calcium supplementation?
Pets in lactation
Senior pets suffering from osteoporosis
Pets recovering from fractures
Animals with chronic kidney disease (elevated blood phosphorus levels)
Dogs that primarily consume liver and meatbased diets
To enhance the absorption of calcium, it's crucial for pets to get some sun exposure. In fact, calcium absorption is sunlightdependent, and many pet owners mistakenly believe that simply providing calcium supplements is sufficient. However, this is not the case, as ultraviolet light is the key to calcium absorption. Unfortunately, indoor environments do not provide access to ultraviolet rays. While sunlight can enter through windows, the ultraviolet component is blocked. Therefore, to ensure your pets receive adequate calcium, it's important to encourage them to venture outdoors and bask in the necessary ultraviolet light.
