Do dogs need calcium supplements? Calcium should pay attention to what?

Calcium is very important for dogs. However, not all dogs are suitable for calcium supplementation. Moreover, calcium supplementation for dogs must also pay attention to scientific methods. Otherwise, it is not good for the dog’s body. First, let’s see if the dog at home needs calcium supplementation.

1. What kind of dog needs calcium supplementation?

Older dogs give birth to bitches and puppies. Due to the degeneration of physiological functions and the impact of diseases, older dogs have a reduced ability to absorb calcium, so the loss of calcium in the body seriously affects the strength of bones. The second is that the postpartum bitch needs calcium supplementation. Since the bitch has given birth to several babies and needs to be breast-fed, the demand for calcium has increased sharply, and the bitch’s daily diet cannot provide so much calcium. At this time, additional calcium intake should be increased. Young dogs need to supplement some calcium after weaning. The calcium in dog food that leaves breast milk may not be well absorbed and can be properly supplemented with calcium. But don’t overdose, calculate strictly according to the dosage of special calcium supplement products.

2. Supplement calcium in moderation

Now the living conditions are better, and the owners take extra care of the dogs. The owner who is always worried about the dog’s calcium deficiency keeps giving the dog calcium powder, which results in the dog’s calcium being too much. Don’t think that only calcium deficiency can cause illness, and excessive calcium supplementation can also cause harm to the dog’s body.

1. Excessive calcium supplementation

Dog food is formulated after nutritional research by experts, and the nutrients in it cover all the nutrients needed for dog growth. If calcium powder and mineral feed are added at the same time as dog food, it will cause excessive calcium, which will cause a serious burden on the dog’s nutrition. Excessive calcium in the body will not only not be absorbed by the body, but also lead to many diseases. Calcium can promote the growth of bones, but it cannot promote the rapid growth of muscles to follow the bones. When the bone grows rapidly and the muscles cannot keep up, the femoral head is pulled out of the joint socket, causing changes in the structure of the hip joint and changes in orthopedic mechanics. In addition, the dog has a relatively large amount of exercise on weekdays, which increases the force on the bones, loosens the hip joint, narrows the joint socket, and grinds the femoral head flat. In order to stabilize the joints, the animal’s physiology promotes the formation of bone spurs, which eventually lead to osteoarthritis.

2. calcium deficiency

Many people think that drinking milk can supplement calcium for dogs. Humans and dogs are not the same. It takes about 10 years for a baby to reach 60 kg, and it takes less than a year for a really large dog. So if you want to supplement calcium like this, of course it is prone to calcium deficiency. Calcium deficiency will reduce the bone density of the dog, unable to support its own increasing weight, and it is very easy to be injured during exercise. In addition, many dogs drinking milk will cause indigestion and diarrhea, so it is not in favor of using milk to supplement calcium for dogs.

3. How to supplement calcium for dogs

1. Choose the right dog food. Young dogs should choose nutritious puppy food. The formula in the dog food is aimed at the absorption and digestion of puppies. The composition of adult dogs is different from that of puppies, so when your dog is over 10 months old, please switch to dog food.

2. You can buy calcium tablets for dogs. Generally, there will be instructions to calculate the dosage according to body weight. Puppies should not eat bones for calcium nor drink milk. Of course, generally speaking, food calcium supplementation is safer than drug calcium supplementation. Eating normal food will not cause excessive calcium. It can be supplemented with foods such as soy products, shrimp skins, and fish.

3. Do more exercise and more sunshine can help calcium absorption and utilization so that your dog has a healthy body.