Essential Tips for Dog Calcium Needs: What You Should K

Quick Guide to Dog Calcium Needs:

1. If you're feeding your furry friend a reputable, quality brand of dog food, whether they're a puppy or an adult, it's quite challenging for them to be calciumdeficient. Especially for adult dogs, their requirement is relatively low compared to the growing stage. Oversupplementing can actually cause more harm than good.

2. If you're preparing homemade or raw diets, it's crucial to ensure a balanced nutrition. Don't assume that feeding raw meat is enough; a certain amount of bone is also essential for their health.

3. Pay special attention to nursing mothers. It's not just about calcium; their overall nutrition should be wellmaintained.

4. If you suspect your dog might be lacking in calcium, it's wise to have a blood test done before supplementing. This way, you'll have a clear understanding of their needs and can provide the right support.

5. When supplementing calcium, always consider the calciumtophosphorus ratio. Just like other nutrients, calcium is most effective when supplemented after it's been identified as deficient.

How to Identify Calcium Deficiency and Safely Supplement:

Signs of calcium deficiency include:

1. Decreased appetite, weight loss, slow growth in puppies, unsteady gait, trembling legs, and in severe cases, lameness, elbow joint deformities, and Oshaped legs.

2. However, deficiencies in phosphorus, vitamin D, or conditions like hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism can also present similar symptoms.

3. If you're concerned about your dog's calcium levels, especially for large breed puppies in their growth phase, it's best to consult a veterinarian for a blood test to check their calcium and phosphorus levels.

4. If they're not deficient, there's no need to supplement. If they are, focus on balancing calcium and phosphorus intake. The recommended ratio is typically 1.21.4:1. Simply supplementing calcium without phosphorus can exacerbate the problem.

What Does Calcium Do for Dogs and How Much Do They Need?

Calcium is vital during the active phase of bone and tooth formation. Beyond that, it's essential for blood clotting, nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, and more. Calcium also acts as a second messenger in numerous cellular membrane reactions (as per "Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats").

The National Research Council (NRC) suggests that adult dogs require 1 gram of calcium for every 1000 calories consumed. For a 25KG adult male Husky with moderate activity levels, they might need about 1300 calories daily, which translates to 1.3 grams of calcium.

Meat typically doesn't contain high levels of calcium. To meet the calcium needs, you might consider using eggshells, which have a calcium content of about 3040%. Half an eggshell can provide the daily calcium requirement for a Husky. You can grind the eggshells into a powder and mix it with their food.

Oversupplementing calcium can actually worsen the situation. If your dog doesn't need additional calcium and you supplement anyway, it can lead to elevated blood calcium levels, prompting the thyroid C cells to secrete calcitonin to lower it. While this brings the calcium levels back to normal, it also reduces blood phosphorus levels.

The parathyroid glands then secrete parathyroid hormone to regulate blood calcium levels. This hormone encourages the release of calcium from bones and enhances renal calcium absorption, but it also inhibits phosphorus absorption in the kidneys. This balance maintains normal blood calcium levels but can lead to lower phosphorus levels, causing calcium to be excreted along with phosphorus through feces and urine.

Oversupplementing calcium can result in decreased calcium in the bones and lower phosphorus levels in the blood. Both are crucial components of bones. Consequently, the bones become weaker, and the signs of calcium deficiency become more pronounced.

Special Attention for Breeding Bitches:

For dog owners planning to breed their pets, especially during the first three litters and for bitches under 2 years old, it's crucial to pay attention to calcium supplementation. When a mother dog supplies nutrients to her litter, she can experience significant calcium loss, making her prone to calcium deficiency. Symptoms may include unsteady gait, rapid breathing, spasms, seizures, and elevated body temperature. Proper calcium supplementation is essential in these cases.