Protecting your Nursing dam: The Dangers of Milk Fever

As a dedicated dog owner and proactive breeder, you understand the importance of providing your companion with the best nutrition possible. But have you heard of a condition known as milk fever, or eclampsia? Did you know it's in your power to protect your girl?

This condition poses a significant threat to both your dog's health and her puppies. In this blog, we'll explore the dangers of milk fever and how proper calcium supplementation can make all the difference. If you're concerned about ensuring your dog's well-being during this crucial phase, consider consulting with a canine nutritionist like me for expert guidance and explore our perfect calcium supplement to keep your dog in optimal health (click "READ MORE" to continue).

Understanding eclampsia

​Milk fever, technically known as eclampsia or puerperal tetany, is a potentially life-threatening condition that affects some nursing dogs (lactating dams). It typically occurs during the first few weeks after giving birth when the demands on a mother's body are at their highest. The risk begins to reduce from day 40 post whelp. Eclampsia develops due to a sudden and severe drop in blood calcium levels. This drop is often a result of the increased calcium requirements to support milk production, which depletes the calcium stores in the mother's body unless she is adequately provided with the correct diet.
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Do you know the dangers?

Eclampsia is a really serious condition that can have dire consequences if left untreated, unfortunately I have heard of knowledgeable peers losing girls to this. Before you breed, just as important as being prepared for the whelp, you need to learn these signs and symptoms of to keep your girl safe. Should she exhibit ANY of the list below I would highly recommend you call your vet for medical guidance.

• Muscle tremors or seizures
• Restlessness and anxiety
• Stiffness or weakness - often begins in the feet or legs
• Twitching - often the feet or head
• Difficulty walking or standing
• Rapid heart rate and panting - be aware some panting is normal during the days following birth as the uterus is contracting which causes pain.
• Elevated body temperature
• Decreased maternal instinct for her puppies
• Aggressive behaviour and being overly rough with puppies
• Extreme nesting, digging and restlessness 
• Disorientation or confusion

Without intervention, eclampsia progresses rapidly, leading to coma seizures and, in severe cases, death. The risk is not just to your girl; but also her puppies depend on her for nourishment and care, so their survival is at stake too. It is absolutely not something to risk.
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heard of "Piss poor planning..."?

Proper calcium supplementation is vital to prevent eclampsia in nursing dogs. To ensure your dog's safety and well-being, it's crucial you do plenty of reading and create a calcium supplementation plan ready for post whelp and have the correct. Or if you are concerned, talk to a knowledgeable breeding nutritionist (like myself).

A professional canine nutritionist can help you determine the exact calcium requirements for your nursing dog based on her breed, size, and individual needs. They will create a customised plan to ensure your dog receives the right amount of calcium during this critical time. You can achieve this yourself too with plenty of research - so make sure you keep reading…

Not all supplements are created equal

Especially Calcium. Have you ever looked at the bottle label of a calcium supplement? You will soon realise many contain a whole host of additives such as Vitamin D, Glucose Syrups, Propylene Glycol, Rosemary Extracts, E-Numbers… the list goes on. 

Some additives are important, such as Vitamin D. Without adequate levels of Vitamin D the body can absorb no more than 10-15% of dietary supplemented Calcium - rendering all your carefully measured and timed feeds relatively pointless. With correct levels of Vitamin D added to the calcium supplement, absorption rates more than triple! But this is the only additive your dog is going to benefit from. E numbers and sugars will not help milk production and in fact can cause hyperglycemia! 

And there is one more thing you need to check before choosing your perfect calcium supplement.
There are several forms of Calcium and each type contains a different elemental (actual) amount of calcium the body can use. You can’t unfortunately just get ‘pure calcium’ and any calcium supplement should always clearly state which form of calcium they're using. 

Calcium Gluconate contains around 9-10% elemental calcium. This isn’t commonly found in supplements but is generally given in drip form at the vets to any bitches being treated for eclampsia. 

Calcium Lactate contains approximately 13% elemental calcium. This type is most commonly found in supplements designed for humans. It works just fine but remember to calculate the actual elemental amount your supplement contains so you give the right amount.

Calcium Citrate contains approximately 20-21% elemental calcium and again is commonly found in calcium supplements. 

Calcium Chloride contains a slightly higher amount of elemental calcium - 27%. This form can be found in Collo-Cal D and Calsorb which are widely available calcium supplements for dogs. There is nothing wrong with this form of calcium, however the aforementioned supplements contain an abundance of additives. 

Calcium Carbonate is the most superior form of calcium as it contains approximately 40% elemental calcium. It is often why supplements containing this form can be a little more costly, because you need less of it to achieve the same dose! Sometimes higher price really does reflect higher quality. This form should be given with food where possible as the stomach acids aid digestion and absorption of Calcium Carbonate. High doses can be a little binding, which is highly beneficial post whelp when diarrhoea are common from the placenta consumption and  hormonal changes. This is why our carefully formulated calcium supplement contains this form.

the perfect calcium supplement for bitches

Yes it exists. To simplify your journey in keeping your nursing dog healthy and happy, our CNC Natural Calcium & Vitamin D Supplement is specially formulated to meet the calcium needs of lactating dogs. Our supplement blend contains no synthetic unnecessary additives and the perfect Calcium:Vitamin D balance to reduce the risk of milk fever while promoting optimal health for your dog.

Purchase our Calcium Supplement now

While this blog provides essential information about milk fever and calcium supplementation, every dog's needs are unique. It's my mission to ensure the well-being of your 4-legged family members. If you're uncertain about the right approach, consider consulting with a canine nutritionist  like me. We're here to answer your questions and provide tailored advice to keep your nursing dog healthy and happy.

Book a consultation for us to design your girl's supplementation plan