What digestible form of calcium is safe for mama dogs?

[sqs1]

Hi all! My miniature schnauzer is currently nursing a week old litter of 6 healthy puppies. Mom and pups are all doing great. I took her to the vet for a checkup yesterday and he mentioned the risk of eclampsia with a small dog and a relatively large litter. Up till now I have only bred toy poodles and had a max of 4 puppies, and have thankfully never had to handle eclampsia. Hopefully I still won’t but he advised me to be prepared just in case.

He mentioned crushing up plain tums for her if she develops symptoms, but plain tums don’t seem to exist. Has anyone ever given their dog mint or fruit flavored tums? Is it safe? Or do you know of any other effective and safe options I can stock up on?

She gets bone meal in her food and is on high quality puppy food, and the vet assured me I’m doing everything right but that sometimes it still happens. I’m not sure if more bone meal would suffice if it does.

 

[fish14]

@sqs1 Absolutely not flavored tums and the off brands often contain xylitol. Bone meal is the right way to go here and it sounds like her diet is good. You can always get powered bone meal to top off or use plain yogurt but it sounds like your vet was explaining a risk not telling you she needs treatment.

 

[sqs1]

@fish14 Thank you! Yes he was explaining a risk, I just want to make sure I have supplies on hand just in case. I was fairly sure anything flavored would be bad.
I’m not sure why he mentioned plain tums when I can’t find anything like that?? I wonder if this is general information he heard at some point that he was passing on rather than something he has actual experience with. In all likelihood she will not need it but I do appreciate him taking the time to talk to me about it. He is generally very much on the safer than sorry side when it comes to dogs and puppies.

 

[recvrngsnr]

@sqs1 You can wash egg shells and then bake them at 400° for 10 minutes and then blend them in a coffee being blender. As long as it's in powdered form they can absorb it. As far as dosing goes, I'm not sure I would suspect that 2 g per cup would be enough.

As far as it being needed, I guess it really depends. Everything I have read has always recommended a calcium supplement for the nursing pups mother. Typically it is 1.88 g of calcium to 1 g of phosphorus or lb food in general.

 

[smilerman312]

@sqs1 I used calcium citrate as there were 10 in my last litter.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@sqs1 Do not use tums except as a last ditch. You need elemental calcium.

Here’s a page with a great guide and explanation: https://www.midwoofery.com/amp/got-milk-a-guide-to-calcium-during-whelping

 

[lumiere]

@sqs1 So, I have heard of a breeder (don't remember who) who would give their dogs vanilla ice cream during whelping do add more calcium. I'm not exactly recommending that, but I would love to see what other breeders think of it.

 

[smilerman312]

@lumiere I use that during whelping as it gives a little calcium plus a sugar glucose boost. I also use a calcium paste during whelping as it give the needed boost of calcium to keep labor and contractions going. Not all my dogs like it though, most do but a have had 2 that didn't.

 

[lumiere]

@smilerman312 Ah, okay. I'm an aspiring breeder, so once I start .you program I'll definetly remember that.

 

[smilerman312]

@lumiere If you haven't read the r/dogs WIKI on Resposible breeders' I would start there so you know what you should be doing as a breeder: https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/identifying_a_responsible_breeder/ I would also recommeend joing a local specialty club if you are interested in a popular breed, or the National club for whatever breed you are interested in so you can find a mentor and the best possible dog you can to start a breeding program.

Also, as you get closer to breeding buy and read Myra Savant-Harris's books on breeding whelping and puppy intensive care and read through then so you have a basis for what to do if things go wrong.

We need more ethical, responsible breeders as there are not enough but do not need people who just want to breed without the health testing, titling, and proper puppy rearing.

 

[lumiere]

@smilerman312 Thank you, but I am good with that information. I know a lot about responsible breeding. I also read a lot of books on dogs and dog behavior as well. I have a very good idea about what I consider a responsible breeder and why. The only reason I haven't started my program yet is because I am currently in college to be a veterinarian and eventually a small animal reproduction vet. I do bounce around with what breed I want to breed, but I have a good idea on what type of dog I want to breed and what I want to compete in.

 

[smilerman312]

@lumiere Glad to see a vet in training that wants to do reproductive, we need more so many are retiring or getting close to retirement.

 

[richardy]

@sqs1 Doc Roy’s healthy bones and Oral Cal Plus

 

[greatlakes4ever]

@sqs1 When I had an unusually large litter I supplement with puppy milk from a few weeks before whelping to when I start weaning. Nothing else. Worked for us.