Do dogs need calcium supplements

Calcium is very important for dogs. However, not all dogs are suitable for calcium supplementation. Moreover, calcium supplementation for dogs should be done scientifically. Otherwise, it is not good for the dog's body. First, let's see if your dog needs calcium supplements at home.

A. What kind of dogs need calcium supplements

Older dogs after the birth of female dogs as well as puppies. In older dogs due to the degeneration of physiological functions and the impact of disease, the ability to absorb calcium is reduced, so the loss of calcium in the body seriously affects the strength of the bones. Secondly, the mother dog after giving birth should be supplemented with calcium. As the mother dog has given birth to several babies to be breastfed, the need for calcium increases sharply, and the mother dog's daily diet cannot provide that much calcium, at this time, the calcium intake should be increased extra. Young dogs need some additional calcium after weaning again leave the calcium in breast milk dog food may not be well absorbed and can be properly supplemented with calcium. However, do not overdo it, but strictly follow the dosage of special calcium supplementation products to calculate. The following is to say that the amount of calcium supplementation problem.

Second, the amount of calcium supplementation should be appropriate

Now the living conditions are better, and the owners of the dog also extra care. Always worried about the dog's calcium deficiency owners keep giving their dogs calcium powder, resulting in too much calcium for the dog. Do not think that only a lack of calcium will lead to illness, too much calcium supplementation as will damage the dog's body.

1. Excessive calcium supplementation

Dog food is configured by experts after nutritional research, which covers all the nutrients required for the growth of the dog. If you eat dog food and then add calcium powder and mineral feed, it will cause an excess of calcium, causing a serious burden on the dog in nutrition. Excess calcium in the body will not only not be absorbed by the body, but will also lead to many diseases. Calcium can promote bone growth, but it cannot promote muscle growth at the same time as bone growth. When the bones are growing rapidly and the muscles cannot keep up, the femoral head is pulled out of the joint socket, causing structural changes in the hip joint and changes in orthopedic mechanics. In combination with the high level of exercise in dogs, the bones are subjected to increased stress, the hip joint becomes loose, the joint socket narrows, and the femoral head is ground flat. To make the joint stable, the physiological function of the animal promotes the formation of bone spurs, which eventually leads to degenerative arthritis.

2. Calcium deficiency

Many people think that drinking milk can give dogs calcium. People and dogs are not the same. A baby takes about 10 years to reach 60 kg, and a really large dog takes less than a year to get enough. So if you want to take such a calcium supplement, of course, you are prone to calcium deficiency. Calcium deficiency will make the dog's bones less dense and unable to support its increasing weight, making it highly susceptible to injury during exercise. In addition, many dogs drinking milk will cause indigestion and diarrhea, so do not support the use of milk for dogs to supplement calcium.

Three, how to give dogs calcium supplementation

1. choose a good and correct dog food for young dogs to choose a nutrient-rich puppy food inside the formula for puppy absorption and digestion. The composition of adult dogs and puppies is different, so when your dog is more than 10 months old, please replace the adult dog food. When they reach old age, they should also be replaced with senior dog food.

2. You can buy calcium tablets for dogs or calcium tablets for children. Usually, there will be instructions to calculate the dose according to body weight. Puppies should not consume bones for calcium and should not drink milk. Generally speaking, food calcium supplements are safer than medication calcium supplements, and eating normal food will not cause calcium overdose. Soy products, shrimp, fish, and other foods can be given to supplement.

3. More exercise and more sunlight can help calcium absorption and utilization to give your dog a fit body.