I am wondering if anyone has an opinion or information regarding ideal calcium percentages in food for a pregnant female. My female was bred nearly 2 weeks ago and she is on a food with 1.2% calcium and 0.8% phosphorus.(ratio being 1.5 to 1).
Traditionally, I have used a food with 1% calcium and 0.8% phosphorus (ratio 1.25:1). I changed food since her previous breeding and wonder if it is ok to keep her on this product.
I am feeding some of my dogs another food; the Orijen 6 fish formula and was going to switch all to that food but with calcium levels at 1.5 to 1.7% and phosphorus at 1.2 to 1.4%, the levels are high although the ratio is low (1.25 to 1).
I am wondering if a ratio of 1.5 to 1 calcium to phosphorus in my present food is bad OR if feeding the Orijen which has even more calcium (1.5 - 1.7) but a lower calcium to phosphorus ratio (1.25:1) would be a better option?
Maybe both are ok or both not????? As I said, I have always used food with 1% calcium and 0.8 % phosphorus (ratio 1.25 to 1) with great success but, due to stool issues, I changed my food.
I do not want to risk hypocalcaemia after her whelp!! Anyone?????
This link may interest you: http://starsenchihuahuas.com/PREGNANTBITCH.html
The Starsen info is a bit secondhand so maybe Myra Savant Harris has more about the topic in her books?
I don't know if toys are more sensitive to high calcium, never heard a Lab person worry about it, then again, with all the C-sections needed maybe Lab people should.
I've been feeding Orijen for years and have whelped bitches on Orijen 6 Fish,Adult,Puppy,whatever formula I'm feeding on rotation at the time and my last litter last week the bitch was on Orijen Regional Red. She whelped 8 puppies in 9 hours with no problem. I've had no issues with eclampsia or whelping problems due to the food. I do not supplement with any extra calcium (yogurt,cottage cheese) until after whelping, if anything I may add a small amount of cooked liver.
I think Canidae's calcium has gone way up in the past 2-3 yrs (whenever they changed the formula) too, probably above what you are feeding, and yet, I've not had an issue w/ contraction strength. Probably the biggest favor you can do for your bitch is good, free exercise and keep her lean (w/in reason of course). I keep Oral Cal on hand during whelp but that's it.
Current research recommends Ca:ph ratios of 1:1-1.2:1 during periods of growth and reproduction, with roughly 1.0% Ca and 0.8% phos (AAFCO 2008, M.Roots, 2011). In Dr. Roots new book she even states that increasing Ca during pregnancy could cause the body to down regulate the body's normal mechanism of control over calcium levels and this could be quite serious. There is a reason why calcium is so tightly regulated in the body.
Take home, supplementing Ca during gestation is not recommended - more is not better.
DVM,
In the case of mine, where I know the dog food formula is now higher than it used to be, would you then recommend mixing w/ a lower Ca food (I could mix Euk LBP or something) to bring it down? Just did a breeding, so there is time to change if so.
