How to Supplement Calcium for Dogs

Supplement Calcium through Diet

Calcium supplementation for dogs can be achieved through various methods. The first step is to feed your dog appropriate amounts of calcium supplements, such as calcium tablets or powder, to meet its calcium needs.同时, it's essential to give your dog适量的维生素D to aid in calcium absorption.

Feed Calcium Supplements Appropriately

If your dog shows noticeable symptoms of calcium deficiency, such as decreased appetite, limping, and thinning body, you should provide it with dog-specific calcium supplements like calcium tablets or powder. However, do not overfeed your dog in the name of rapid calcium supplementation. Always add calcium supplements according to the recommended dosage to avoid negative effects. If your dog is still in its puppy stage, you can let it drink breast milk or feed it calcium-rich goat's milk to supplement calcium. This type of calcium is easily absorbed by dogs.

Feed Calcium-Rich Foods

Nutrition therapy is a gentle way to supplement calcium. If your dog has only mild calcium deficiency, dietary supplementation can be effective. To supplement calcium through food, you can feed your dog calcium-rich foods such as shrimp skin, tofu skin, bone broth, beef, egg yolk, seaweed, and purple laver. You can also feed your dog some fruits and vegetables to supplement vitamin D, which can help calcium work better. However, pet owners using dietary supplementation need to be consistent, with weekly meals of 2-3 times to ensure adequate nutrition and prevent calcium deficiency.

Encourage Regular Exercise and Sun Exposure

In addition to supplementing calcium, dog owners should also encourage their pets to exercise outdoors and expose them to sunlight. Ultraviolet rays in sunlight help dogs' bodies absorb calcium better and convert blood calcium into bone calcium. It is generally recommended to expose dogs to sunlight between 8:00 and 9:00 am and 4:00 and 5:00 pm because the sunlight is suitable at this time and won't burn your dog.

Note: Not all dogs of all ages need additional calcium supplementation, as the calcium content in dog food is sufficient to meet the daily calcium needs of adult dogs. Therefore, calcium supplementation is generally only necessary for puppies.