Calcium Deficiency

[Agility Dogs]

Hi all,

I had bloods done on both my dogs the other week and CK came back as having a slight calcium deficiency. This kind of makes sense since he has always had flakey nails.

Anyway, the vet has given us a supplement (volcomin) to give him and in a couple of weeks his nails have improved. Can anyone suggest another supplement that I can use ongoing to make sure he is taking up calcium as he should be.

I am thinking EsterC might be a good start, but if there is anything else people recommend I would love to hear.

Thanks in advance.

Tony

[poodlefan]

Whey powder has been linked to increased Vitamin D and calcium absorbtion.

I'd be feeding plenty of chicken wings etc.. Great calcium/phosphorus ratio.

[Agility Dogs]

Whey powder has been linked to increased Vitamin D and calcium absorbtion.

I'd be feeding plenty of chicken wings etc.. Great calcium/phosphorus ratio.

Thanks PF. I'm thinking it is an uptake issue rather than a diet/balance issue. They get chicken frames 2 to 4 days a week depending on what is in the freezer and where we are at in the feeding cycle.

Will add Whey powder to the list.

[poodlefan]

Whey powder has been linked to increased Vitamin D and calcium absorbtion.

I'd be feeding plenty of chicken wings etc.. Great calcium/phosphorus ratio.

Thanks PF. I'm thinking it is an uptake issue rather than a diet/balance issue. They get chicken frames 2 to 4 days a week depending on what is in the freezer and where we are at in the feeding cycle.

Will add Whey powder to the list.

Kidney function all normal AD?

[Stitch]

For humans magnesium is now considered to be very important rather than just calcium by itself and many naturopaths say that it is more beneficial to take magnesium than plain calcium sups.

I asked our repro.vet about this too and he said that was 'a very interesting question' but as yet there is no information out on that but that he would suggest the combination of magnesium & calcium.

I know that you can get a vet. supplement that is a combination of calcium and magnesium (don't remember its name) and that is what I will be giving my whelping/nursing bitches in future rather than just the plain Calcium Sandoz/liquid calcium sup.

[Agility Dogs]

Whey powder has been linked to increased Vitamin D and calcium absorbtion.

I'd be feeding plenty of chicken wings etc.. Great calcium/phosphorus ratio.

Thanks PF. I'm thinking it is an uptake issue rather than a diet/balance issue. They get chicken frames 2 to 4 days a week depending on what is in the freezer and where we are at in the feeding cycle.

Will add Whey powder to the list.

Kidney function all normal AD?

Haven't done any tests, but there is no reason to suspect not at this stage according to our vet. (His Thyroid function is normal as well BTW! Bloody million dollar dogs. )

The supplement we have him on has plenty of magnesium in it.

Interestingly since we started supplementing his behaviour has changed - but it is hard to know whether this is a result of his new world order (modified to suit our lifestyle Ruff Love) or his modified supplementation.

[JulesP]

How has his behavior changed AD??

Calcium makes me very sleepy, lol.

[Agility Dogs]

How has his behavior changed AD??

Calcium makes me very sleepy, lol.

Quite the opposite.

Much more alert and willing to work. The other morning he was bouncing and doing the frustrated growling thing when we were doing a shaping exercise - he has NEVER done that.

Also much more confident and generally happier in himself. Still not an OTT BC, but definitely much easier to work in a heightened state.

T

[poodlefan]

How has his behavior changed AD??

Calcium makes me very sleepy, lol.

Apparently for many people, a calcium tablet before bedtime is as effective as a sleeping pill.

The old wives remedy of a glass of warm milk before bed has its basis in science.

[JulesP]

Yeah I can take calcium as a sleeping tablet.

That is interesting AD. As you know I have a super quiet Border too. Both CK and Brock have the same slightly worried look about them too. I hadn't considered it a deficiency issue.

It might be the magnesium that has caused the behavior change as it is great for nerves.

[Agility Dogs]

Yeah I can take calcium as a sleeping tablet.

That is interesting AD. As you know I have a super quiet Border too. Both CK and Brock have the same slightly worried look about them too. I hadn't considered it a deficiency issue.

It might be the magnesium that has caused the behavior change as it is great for nerves.

Yeah, I really don't think it is a deficiency issue, but Linda Orton-Hill was super keen for me to have the tests done. I'm more of the opinion (and she shares it) that they are soft dogs, but they are also VERY manipulative dogs because they are so smart. (I'm sure the calcium is helping to a degree, but the behaviour modification is much more the key.)

Mr CK has had several changes to his lifestyle recently. Basically:

1. We are doing a lot more shaping to build his confidence (now that I know how to do it properly).

2. If I tell him to do something that he knows how to do he does it before moving onto the next activity - if that means tugging before the next flyball run and he decides not to we leave the field before and he tugs before we go back. This one is the one that seems the harshest because they 'shut down'. This shut down is not really a shut down - it is either a lack of understanding (my bad) or it is a manipulation because the other activity is more rewarding (too bad). Basically by that mean that he 'shuts down' because he would rather do another 4 second flyball run than tug - not my problem, I want him to tug. They soon realise that shutting down is not an option for them.

3. Linked to the above he is ONLY rewarded for fast, crazy behaviour. I have taken a lot of the 'controls' off his life and replaced them with demands for speed - just different, less stifling controls really. eg: I don't put his food down, go inside and make a cup of coffee before he is allowed to eat it. I make sure we have a good game with the food as a reward for speed. Remember, this is a dog who spent the 4 to 12 month period of his life either confined or being kept quiet as he recovered from an injury - I need to change his mindset.

4. When we are training he is only coming out of his crate for VERY short periods of time and when he does he works very intensely. (Ruff Love calls for them to be crated all the time - this is the one area we have relaxed since we are at work 10 hours a day!) He is crated for the day and a half before a trial though - OH is home on Fridays.

Cheers

Tony

[kirst_goldens]

I WAS going to say maybe he feels better wth the addedd calcium cause he is stronger or something but those behaviours are different to what i was thinking LOL i hvae no idea it is strange changes but good by the sounds of it