I. Introduction
Calcium and phosphorus, which are commonly found in our daily lives, are a group of inorganic nutrients that are also essential for pets. 98% to 99% of the calcium and 80% of the phosphorus in a pet’s body is in the bones and teeth, which have a supporting and protective role, and the rest is found in the soft tissues and body fluids. Most pets have about 9 to 12 mg/100 ml of calcium in the blood (usually found in plasma) and about 35 to 45 mg/100 ml of phosphorus in the blood (mainly in the form of phosphate in blood cells). Calcium and phosphorus differ from other nutrients, that they cannot be synthesized in the body or lost in metabolism. Therefore, pets must be supplemented through their diet.
Dibasic calcium phosphate ( also known as calcium hydrogen phosphate), as an inorganic salt containing both calcium and phosphorus, is often used as a pet food additive or as the main ingredient in calcium tablets.
II. Roles of dibasic calcium phosphate in Pet Rations
Dibasic calcium phosphate is used in pet rations as a fortifier and bulking agent in addition to phosphorus and calcium supplements.
1. Calcuim supplement
As a calcium supplement, dibasic calcium phosphate promotes the formation of calcification in bones and teeth, thus helping pets build a strong bone structure.
2. Feeding promoting agent
Calcium Hydrogen Phosphate also acts as a bulking agent, which improves the texture and taste of pet food, making it fluffier and more flavorful, thus promoting your pet’s appetite.
III. Dibasic calcium phosphate in calcium tablets for pets
1.Applicable pet types
Dibasic calcium phosphate can also be one of the main ingredients of calcium tablets, pets need to consume calcium tablets in the following cases:
- Puppy stage (3-6 months): this stage is the key period of the dog’s bone growth, calcium supplementation is useless early, but may irritate the stomach and intestines, so it is recommended to start calcium supplementation at about 3 months.
- Pregnancy and Lactation: Pregnant dogs and lactating dogs need to increase their calcium intake to avoid postpartum calcium deficiency and calcium loss due to milk secretion.
- Old age (after 7 years old): the physiological function of the elderly dog declines, calcium absorption ability is weakened, prone to osteoporosis and other problems, need long-term calcium supplementation.
- Fracture recovery period: During the recovery period after a dog has suffered a fracture, calcium as well as vitamin D need to be supplemented to promote bone recovery and development.
2. The effects of calcium and phosphorus deficiency on pet health
a.Young dogs and cats are susceptible to rickets, specifically manifested as:
- When young pets walk, the gait is stiff or lame;
- Young pets are prone to fracture, bone growth and development will be deformed;
- Young pets will reduce the mineral element content in the bones;
- The blood calcium and blood phosphorus content of young pets will decrease.
b. Adult dogs and cats are susceptible to osteochondrosis, osteoporosis, etc.
Pet diets of calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D3 deficiency or imbalance can cause osteochondrosis, pet ribs and other bones due to the decomposition of a large number of deposited minerals to form a honeycomb, which is prone to fracture, bone deformation and so on.
c. Lactating female pets:
Calcium and phosphorus deficiencies can cause hypocalcemia, loss of appetite and xenophagy.
3. Things to keep in mind when choosing calcium tablets
- Calcium content: calcium supplement products should have adequate calcium content.
- Absorption rate: choose calcium tablets with high absorption rate.
- Calcium-phosphorus ratio: the calcium-phosphorus ratio should be between 1.2:1 and 1.4:1, so that you don’t have to calculate the calcium-phosphorus ratio additionally, and you don’t have to worry about the calcium-phosphorus imbalance when you feed it together with dog food
4. Other ways to supplement calcium
- Sunbathing: taking your dog into the sun more often can promote the absorption of calcium.
- Nutritional balance: In addition to calcium tablets, you should also supplement minerals, trace elements and vitamins and other nutrients to ensure that your dog’s nutrition is balanced.
IV. Do pets with normal development need to use calcium tablets for calcium supplementation?
1. Normal pet food has enough calcium
Generally speaking, pet food purchased from regular sources contains enough calcium to meet your pet’s growth needs and does not require the use of additional calcium tablets. Because calcium additives are inexpensive, the vast majority of diets contain calcium additives. In addition, pets can get calcium from natural foods.
Common Natural Food Sources of Calcium and Phosphorus:
- Dairy Products: Milk, goat’s milk, yogurt, and cheese. They are a good source of calcium and are also rich in phosphorus.
- Seafood: Fish, shrimp (shrimp skin is higher in calcium and phosphorus than other parts of the body such as shrimp meat), shellfish, kelp, seaweed, nori, etc.
- Meat: Beef, pork, chicken, duck and so on.
- Eggs: Eggs, duck eggs, quail eggs, etc.
- Vegetables: Cauliflower, kale, rape, cabbage, etc.
2. Extra feeding of calcium tablets are not necessary
As you can see, there are many different sources of calcium, and it is not necessary to use additional calcium tablets if there are no problems with your pet’s diet. On the contrary, excessive calcium supplementation also increases the risk of stones and kidney failure in pets.
a. Effects of excess calcium:
- Hindering the utilization of other nutrients: excess calcium can hinder your pet’s utilization of other nutrients, interfering with the metabolism and utilization of phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and manganese, as well as affecting the digestion of fats，and may cause problems such as hyperthyroidism.
- Bone problems: Excess calcium may lead to abnormal bone development and an increased risk of bone fractures, especially an increased risk of long bone fractures and lameness.
b. Effects of excess phosphorus
- Bone abnormalities: excess phosphorus may lead to bone abnormalities such as chondromalacia.
- Digestive problems: excess phosphorus reduces fat digestion and affects your pet’s digestive system.
- Endocrine problems: excess phosphorus lowers blood calcium and increases parathyroid production, leading to a large breakdown of phosphorus in the bones, making them susceptible to lameness or long bone fractures.
V. Conclusion
Calcium and phosphorus have very important roles in the pet’s body! They are constituents of the pet’s organism and are involved in many important biochemical reactions in the organism, such as enzymatic reactions. Their deficiency or excess can adversely affect pets. Dibasic calcium phosphate is widely used in pet rations as an effective calcium and phosphorus supplement. Pet food produced from regular manufacturers will undergo strict inspection and quarantine, and the calcium and phosphorus elements contained therein are scientifically formulated to fully meet the daily needs of pets. In addition, calcium phosphate is also used as the main ingredient in pet calcium tablets. Generally speaking, pets do not need to take additional calcium tablets, only during pregnancy, lactation, old age and recovery from bone fracture do they need to take calcium tablets to supplement calcium. The main thing to note is that too much calcium and phosphorus can be harmful to your pet’s health, so it is wise to use calcium tablets on your pet under the guidance of your veterinarian.
As you can see, calcium phosphate is an essential nutritional supplement that is safe and beneficial for pets in pet food sourced from regular sources. When it is used as the main ingredient in calcium tablets, it needs to be administered to pets under the guidance of a veterinarian.
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