Stitch Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Normally I give Calcium Sandoz/Syrup however I want to try giving a calcium supplement with magnesium for bitches after whelping. Does anyone know where I can get it or perhaps can recommend a calcium supplement that really works for them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 (edited) Why do you feel they need magnesium supplements? not trying to be rude ..it's just that AFAIK there is a fine balance between calcium/potassium/magnesium ... and there can be problems with calcium absorption if mag. levels are high ..and mixing up ratios can do odd things ( heart rhythms etc , in humans anyway ...) I believe magnesium deficiency is very rare ? Would hate anything to happen to your girls .... Edited December 31, 2012 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 (edited) I actually asked my repro vet about that and he is open to the addition of magnesium in conjunction with calcium. I have had a fair amount of experience with Calcium Sandoz with post whelping bitches and whilst it is good I can only add my own (human) experiences with calcium sups and say that the addition of magnesium has really helped me especially in the area of muscle relaxation. I have found my breed has quite a heavy drain on calcium directly after whelping. I feel that it would be helpful to have one that was already 'mixed' as what I don't want, as you say, is to get the ratio wrong and Calcium Sandoz/Syrup seems to only be, as it says, calcium. Edited January 1, 2013 by Stitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 (edited) As far as I know Pers magnesium deficiency is actually more common than calcium, and most calcium deficiencies are actually caused by a lack of magnesium leading to inability to absorb calcium. Magnesium is highly depressed in our food chain as Australian soils tend to be low in it anyway, and it's uptake by plants can be further reduced by the use of super phosphate fertilisers. My vet recommends regular magnesium supplementing via low dose Epsom Salts added to drinking water. Once the levels come up calcium supplementing is needed far less often as the correct magnesium levels will promote better utilisation of available calcium. edit to add - could it be worth looking at the dosage for adding Epsom Salts to your Sandoz doses? It would need to be pretty small I think. Edited January 1, 2013 by Alyosha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trifecta Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 What about dolomite powder - a natural source of calcium & magnesium? I don't know the correct dose for a bitch post whelping, having only ever used it as a supplement for horses, but maybe your vet or a holistic practitioner could advise you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 (edited) :) Thanks for the info . There are probably one or two magnesium types most suitable for the canine metabolism.. perhaps try the colloid one? The one I have here is a chloride base , so tastes amazingly salty and not pleasant ..but only very small quantities would be needed . Blackmores put out Mag Min tablets..they are an aspartate ..less likely to cause diarrhoea. magnesium+ Calcium can be found on DOLOMITE Tablets (humans) . .my guess is that horse supplements would have a powder :) just saw your bit , trifecta epsom salts /magnesium sulfate will cause diarrhoea..good for plants, not so good for mammals ;) Edited January 1, 2013 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisovar Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Powdered supplements are not as readily taken up by the body, I don't know how effective they would be at whelping time, the reason we give sandoz is that it is readily absorbed when it is need most. IMO I think if magnesium is need then looking at giving it in some form as a supplement generally and not just at whelping. I think I would be confirming the need for it first though :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 I thought there was a liquid supplement out there that combined calcium and magnesium??? Must have imagined it???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Dolomite is not readily absorbed by dogs. It can be used for maintenance, but as a one off dose it wouldn't do much. Epsom salts don't cause diarrhoea if introduced gradually from minute doses, but yes, a whack of it will "go through you like a dose of salts"!! :laugh: Is this sort of thing what you're looking for? http://www.organicbeautyworld.com.au/shop/dr-gundersons-ionic-liquid-magnesium-50ml-p-1833.html?utm_term=Dr+Gundersons+Ionic+Liquid+Magnesium+50ml&utm_campaign=Vitamins+and+Nutrition&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=myshopping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 Nope, I thought there was a liquid calcium plus magnesium for dogs on the market. Doesn't look like there is though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 A compounding pharmacy may be able to make what you want in a liquid flavour base, you'd have to know what ratio you wanted though. They would probably know the best forms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 Yes I guess they would but I really didn't want to be a trail blazer with this...I wouldn't know what the right dosages would be. I thought there was one already out there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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