I was told to give my dog calcium pills. She just had puppies last night. What is the purpose for this?
2007-06-13 10:18:47 · 9 answers · asked by lovely 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
You should give the dog calcium pills because she is lactating and nursing the puppies. The calcium that she would normally use for her own body is going into the milk to supply the puppies with calcium for bone growth. You dog could get a calcium deficiency and her bones could grow weak and all of her normal body regulation functions could get out of wack from shortage of calcium. Believe it or not calcium is very important to every living animal. Its not just used for bones, its also used to maintain regulatory functions in the body. The body is constantly degrading the bone structures and rebuilding them (at all times) so calcium is needed in regular quatitiies. But nursing animals put more energy into making the milk for their offspring so they take from their body (even if they dont have enough or they are depleting their supply) to have healthy offspring. Normal calcium requirements for dogs is usually met by their dog food, but they dont make a dog food for lactating dogs. For lactating animals their calcium requirement is higher and cant be met by just dog food alone.
2007-06-13 10:23:37 · answer #1 · answered by wenchgirl04 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Calcium pills help the mother dog provide healthier milk for the puppies. It also helps her bones to be stronger because she has to do extra work.
2007-06-13 18:06:14 · answer #2 · answered by Erica O 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She'll be breast feeding her pups. This can take calcium from her own body. In the wild, they probably eat more bones to get more calcium. Most commercial dog food is cheap crap. By giving her calcium supplements, her calcium levels won't get depleted when she's breast feeding. Hope they are all healthy, happy and well-homed.
2007-06-13 17:23:20 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I believe that is helps her milk to start flowing, and replaces calcium lost when she produced the puppies.
2007-06-13 17:22:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The puppies are going to be drinking her milk... they need calcium....
2007-06-13 17:21:29 · answer #5 · answered by krvawt88 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm guessing it's to help her produce milk;-}
without losing calcium from her bone mass.
2007-06-13 17:22:09 · answer #6 · answered by Robert S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Women take prenatal pills and after giving birth they eat healthy foods and take vitamins so when they breast feed the baby gets them, so I would assume the same for the dogs. Don't you want them healthy?
2007-06-13 17:22:25 · answer #7 · answered by NANCY J 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It prevents a deadly condition called hypocalcimia or milk fever. You were given good advice. Take it.
2007-06-14 08:39:50 · answer #8 · answered by mama woof 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
puts calcium in their breast milk for the babies to drink.
Who gave my answer a thumbs down? lol
2007-06-13 17:21:25 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋