A calcium deficiency in dogs can cause a variety of serious health problems. Therefore, when feeding BARF, you should always keep an eye on the calcium content of the food and adjust it if necessary. In this article, we will show you which BARF food is particularly suitable for supplying calcium and which supplements can be used.
Calcium deficiency in dogs: symptoms
A calcium deficiency in dogs causes various symptoms, although in most cases their effects only become apparent in the medium to long term. For example, a calcium deficiency in dogs promotes dental problems and can affect limb misalignment and lead to more frequent tears of tendons and ligaments. The situation is more acute if the calcium deficiency occurs shortly after the birth of a litter of puppies: the high milk production causes the mother's body to lose a lot of calcium. Signs of this type of calcium deficiency include restlessness and panting, as well as cramps, fever, sudden tics or a lack of coordination. Hypersensitivity and increased aggression can also indicate what is known as postpartum hypocalcemia.
To diagnose calcium deficiency in dogs, a coat analysis is the most recommended method: blood samples are unlikely to produce any results, as the body tries to keep the calcium content in the blood constant and therefore releases calcium from bones, teeth and coat when there is a deficiency.
In the case of an acute calcium deficiency, the dog is often given a calcium solution intravenously, which usually leads to a rapid improvement in the condition. However, the puppies should not receive their mother's milk for half a day to a whole day, but should be fed a milk substitute or, depending on the stage of development, another alternative during this time.
Preventing Calcium Deficiency in Dogs
If the dog's calcium deficiency is not related to pregnancy but to a general nutritional deficit, the BARF diet offers numerous options for supplying more calcium. The most natural option is certainly to increase the inclusion of bones and cartilage in the feed rations. There are many different options here, which can be adapted depending on the animal's food preferences or intolerances, from chicken feet to horse or lamb bone mash to whole meaty bones, necks or small animals.
Although calcium does not have to be fed every day, a regular supply should be ensured. Too much calcium at once can lead to unhealthy bone stools that are painful for the dog to excrete. Therefore, various powdered supplements are available for everyday calcium supply, such as horse bone meal and egg shell meal. Both cover the daily calcium requirement excellently and can be integrated into the diet accordingly. Horse bone meal is obtained from meaty horse bones and is also very suitable for dogs with allergies .
In our BARF calculator you can see what proportion of bones and cartilage should ideally be fed daily or weekly. The amount of food and the dog's weight can be individually tailored to your pet.
