The Role of Calcium in Your Dog’s Diet
It is crucial for your dog’s diet to include all of the basic vitamins to ensure outstanding health. One of the important nutrients in your dog’s diet is calcium. When we think of calcium, strong teeth and bones come to mind. Your dog’s diet ought to be rich in calcium to support strong teeth and bones, but a fine balance exists in association to calcium and your dog’s diet.
It is feasible to have too much or too little calcium in your dog’s diet. When a dog’s diet includes too little calcium, your dog may develop a condition referred to as rickets. This condition creates soft bones that bow under the weight of your dog.
In contrast, too much calcium can generate bone abnormalities, as well. Large breed dogs, for example, who are given too much calcium as puppies in their diet, will build up large bones that are low in density. Strength is a dilemma with such bones due to the large amount of calcium supplements.
When your dog’s diet includes proper levels of calcium, such bone abnormalities occur rarely. This is just one more reason to carefully decide on an appropriate diet for your dog. At all times check with your veterinarian to agree on the best amount of calcium in your dog’s diet.
Calcium plays an important task in your dog’s diet, but other vitamins and nutrients work hand in hand with calcium. Some minerals are mutually supporting. Calcium happens to be one of such mineral nutrients.
Calcium works jointly with phosphorus. A balance of the two nutrients calcium and phosphorus has to exist in a healthy ratio to make sure a dog diet that will take advantage of the potential advantages for your pet. Studies involving animal nutrition show that a ratio of 1.0 to 2.0 parts calcium should be coupled with 1.0 part phosphorus. When calcium and phosphorus ratios vary significantly from this range, bone problems result.
Dog diets consisting only of meats will not give the suitable amount of calcium and phosphorus to produce healthy bones. Such a diet results in a ratio of about 1.0 part calcium to 18 parts phosphorus. The range of absorption is where the trouble starts.
Vitamin D is a further nutrient that influences the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. If a dog’s diet lacks the right amount of vitamin D, the other nutrients will not provide all the benefits to your pet. Excessive amounts of vitamin D can have toxic effects on your dog. It is vital to maintain proper levels of vitamin D in your dog’s diet. Again, feeding your dog food from a dependable company will allow you confidence in knowing that your dog’s diet is healthy.
During pregnancy or when your dog is nursing, elevated levels of calcium are important in your dog’s diet. At this time, feed your pet added amounts of a balanced dog food. You should not have to supplement your pet at this time.
Milk fever, or eclampsia, can’t be avoided with calcium supplements. Eclampsia is not a nutritional deficiency, but a metabolic condition that affects the dog once the pups have been born and start nursing.
Stay away from supplementing your dog’s diet with calcium or other nutrients without explicit talk with your vet. When calcium, for example, is out of balance, health can truly be effected harmfully. Feeding your dog a balanced diet is essential. Reputable dog food companies have researched animal nutrition to make sure the best possible health for your dog. Providing your dog’s diet in a healthful, balanced formula may be the best approach to take care of your pet.
