extra calcium?
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JulieM
Boxer Insane
I'm not sure how much calcium is in Nutro, but too much can cause problems in growing puppies. If you are feeding a puppy food, especially one for large breeds, that should be adequate.
(I'm feeding a natural raw diet, but when I was feeding kibble I never supplemented. I also stopped giving puppy food at 4-6 months.)
Julie
(I'm feeding a natural raw diet, but when I was feeding kibble I never supplemented. I also stopped giving puppy food at 4-6 months.)
Julie
No Calcium
Every vet I have ever worked with feels the same way as I do. You shouldn't give any large breed dog a calcium suppliment. This is one of the reasons that some manufacturers created the large breed formulas. Too much calcium can cause the bones to grow at a more rapid rate which can cause a pano. Pano can be quite painful to the dog, and they usually require pain control while they outgrow it. What happens is the bones grow too quickly and on x-ray they have a swiss cheese look to them. The dog will outgrow this but it can take up to several months to do so. Every dog is predisposed to their adult size, trying to speed up this process will not make the dog grow bigger.
Every vet I have ever worked with feels the same way as I do. You shouldn't give any large breed dog a calcium suppliment. This is one of the reasons that some manufacturers created the large breed formulas. Too much calcium can cause the bones to grow at a more rapid rate which can cause a pano. Pano can be quite painful to the dog, and they usually require pain control while they outgrow it. What happens is the bones grow too quickly and on x-ray they have a swiss cheese look to them. The dog will outgrow this but it can take up to several months to do so. Every dog is predisposed to their adult size, trying to speed up this process will not make the dog grow bigger.
I really don't think a supplement is needed at all. I feed my puppy kibble and do not give calcium supplements. I have never even heard of giving calcium to a puppy.
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LM
Proud mamma of Toby, brindle male black mask docked tale natural ears, born 7/7/00
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LM
Proud mamma of Toby, brindle male black mask docked tale natural ears, born 7/7/00
JulieM
Boxer Insane
Kibble is supposed to be "nutritionally balanced and complete" (I don't buy it for a second, but that's another story!). I wouldn't recommend a multivitamin with kibble - it may cause an excess of certain things - but if the dog is under stress, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, or Vitamin B may be added (I'd check with a vet and/or nutritionist first, because it really depends on the kibble you're feeding and what supplements have been added to it).
BARF - Bones and Raw Food
A good site with lots of information is:
http://www.njboxers.com/
The 50 facts on BARF is a good place to start.
A good site with lots of information is:
http://www.njboxers.com/
The 50 facts on BARF is a good place to start.
Alisha Mobley
Boxer Insane
Can adult dogs have too much calcium? Since I've switched to BARF I've been adding in a pet supplement. I think it's called PetGuard. It's a yeast/garlic mixture but is a good source of calcium. I give the recommended dose according to each dogs weight. My youngest is about 14 months so is still growing a little. Could the calcium in the supplement hurt her?
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