Your Dogs Diet And The Role Of Calcium In It

Calcium is one of the important nutrients in your dog's diet. When you think of calcium then strong teeth and bones should come to your mind. Your dog's diet should be rich in calcium to help give healthy teeth and bones, but a very fine balance exists in the relationship of calcium and your dog's diet.

You can have too much or too little calcium in your dog's diet. If your dog's diet contains too little calcium, then your dog could develop a condition called rickets. This condition creates soft bones that bend under the weight of your dog.
Too much calcium can cause bone abnormalities. Larger breeds of dogs, who are given too much calcium as puppies in their diet, will develop large bones that have no strength.

When your dog's diet has the right levels of calcium, bone problems will occur less frequently. This is another reason to carefully select the right diet for your dog. Always consult with your vet to make sure that you have the right amount of calcium in your dog's diet.

Calcium has a important role to play in your dog's diet, but other vitamins and nutrients work hand in hand with calcium as well.

Calcium and phosphorus work together. A balance of these two nutrients in your dog's diet, must exist in the right proportion to ensure your dog will receive all the potential advantages. Research in dog nutrition shows that a ratio of 1.0 to 2.0 parts calcium should be coupled with 1.0 part phosphorus.

When a dog's diets consisting mainly of meats, then this should provide the right amount of calcium and phosphorus to help create healthy bones. Such a diet results in a ratio of about 1.0 part calcium to 18 parts phosphorus. The range of absorption is where all the trouble begins.

Vitamin D is a nutrient that affects the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. If a dog's diet lacks the right amount of vitamin D, then the other nutrients will not provide all the benefits to your pet. Large amounts of vitamin D can have toxic effects on your dog. It is important to keep the right balance of vitamin D in your dog's diet.

You should not start supplementing your dog's diet with calcium or any other nutrients without first talking with your vet. When calcium is out of balance, then the health in your dog can be effected. Feeding your dog a balanced healthy diet is essential to your dog's health. Reputable dog food companies have researched dog nutrition to help you ensure the best possible health for your dog. Giving your dog a diet in a healthy balanced formula may be the best way to take care of your pet.