Yorkshire Terrier (definite introduction)
Many owners suggest giving calcium supplements to dogs, especially when dogs grow and develop quickly during their youth and need some special nutrients to protect bone growth. So should we supplement calcium to dogs for a long time? Woolen cloth? What can you say?
Appropriate calcium supplementation is not only a waste, but can also have adverse effects on dogs.
If you take too much calcium orally in the near future, most of the excess calcium will be eliminated from the body through feces. If it reduces the burden on the dog's gastrointestinal tract, some dogs may suffer from anorexia, constipation, indigestion and other minor problems. In addition to symptoms, more serious reactions generally do not occur.
Excessive calcium supplementation for a long time may cause the following harms:
1. The formation of long-term hypercalciuria reduces the chance of stones in the urinary system.
2. It leads to premature calcification of cartilage, premature closure of the anterior fontanel, resulting in abnormal microcephaly, which restricts the brain development of dogs.
3． The bones are prematurely calcified, the epiphyses are closed prematurely, the development of long bones is affected, and ultimately the height is controlled.
4． Too much calcium in the bones makes the bones hard and prone to fractures.
5． It affects the dog's appetite, thereby affecting the absorption of other nutrients by the intestines.
6. Excessive calcium in the intestines will inhibit the absorption of divalent ions such as iron and zinc, resulting in secondary zinc and iron deficiency, and lead to decreased immunity, anorexia, slow growth, anemia, fatigue, etc. symptoms.
7. If the blood calcium concentration is too high, calcium will accumulate in the internal organs or tissues. If it accumulates around the cornea, it will affect the eyesight. If it accumulates on the heart valves, it will affect the heart function. If it accumulates on the blood vessel wall, it will aggravate vascular stiffness.
How to judge the appropriate amount of calcium supplementation
To judge whether a dog’s calcium supplement is appropriate, it is currently mainly based on whether there are blind calcium supplements, repeated calcium supplements and appropriate use of vitamin D preparations in the feeding history. This is a prerequisite for the diagnosis and treatment of appropriate amounts of calcium. Secondly, it is combined with bone X-ray to check whether there is advanced bone age, structural abnormality and calcification, and whether the urine calcium level is too high.
How to correct calcium overdose
Once calcium overdose is found, calcium supplementation should be stopped, or the dosage of calcium supplementation should be adjusted immediately. often onlyAs long as the calcium supplement dosage and vitamin D dosage are properly adjusted, the symptoms of excessive calcium will disappear quickly. However, once bone calcification occurs, there is often no good way to eliminate it. Avoiding excessive calcium and vitamin D supplementation may be the best way to speed up further calcification.
Two issues that should be paid attention to when supplementing calcium
1. The absorption of calcium is the most critical
The absorption of calcium is not entirely based on people’s wishes: how much is supplemented, how much is absorbed. The more you make up, the more you receive. The amount of calcium absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract mainly depends on the dog's calcium nutrition situation at that time, which is regulated by activated vitamin D hormone, parathyroid hormone and other substances in the baby's body.
Vitamin D can promote the absorption of calcium by the intestines. When vitamin D is deficient, no matter how much calcium is supplemented, it cannot be absorbed well. Vitamin D can also inhibit the penetration of calcium by the kidneys and increase the decalcification efficiency of old bones.
2. Food calcium supplement is the safest.
Generally speaking, food calcium supplementation is safer than drug calcium supplementation. Eating normal food will not cause calcium overdose. In addition to dairy products, you can also give soy products, dried shrimps, fish and other foods to compensate. Basking in the sun and exercising outdoors are good for the absorption and utilization of calcium and are one of the safe ways to supplement calcium.
This fully proves that money cannot buy health. Careful management and regular healthy diet can not only help you save a lot of money, but also bring health to your dog. The damage caused to dogs by blindly supplementing calcium is irreparable.
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