Introducing Calcium to a Bitch in Labor
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Good Dog is on a mission to educate the public, support dog breeders, and promote canine health so we can give our dogs the world they deserve.
Good Dog is on a mission to educate the public, support dog breeders, and promote canine health so we can give our dogs the world they deserve.
Good Dog is on a mission to educate the public, support dog breeders, and promote canine health so we can give our dogs the world they deserve.
Q: What is the best way to introduce calcium to a bitch in labor? Calsorb always makes them vomit and my vet says vomiting will make calcium deficiency worse. Due to low calcium, my laboring girl had to be put on calcium and oxytocin IV. After coming home, she was prescribed 1/2 a Tums twice a day. She likes them so I was thinking that might be an effective way to get her calcium during labor.
A: I do not use Calsorb, for the very reason you stated--I want the calcium to stay in the girls and not be vomited up. There are other products that are less likely to cause vomiting.
You can use:
- OralCal Plus in the tube, which is flavored and does not create a vomiting situation.
- Citrical tablets since this is calcium citrate which does not require food to be utilized.
- TUMS is calcium carbonate which requires food to be an efficient source of calcium during labor.
Once your girl has finished delivering her puppies, you want to make sure that she has it in a balanced formula if she needs extra calcium. Balance is less important during the short period of whelping, but now it becomes more important. You will again be looking for a 1:1 to 1.4:1 calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, and products that meet this are Doc Roys Healthy Bones, PetCal, and OsteoForm SA powder. TUMS is not a balanced Ca:Ph supplement, which is why I am not suggesting it for long-term use during lactation.
