# Calcium Supplement? Help with Brittle Bones, please!



## LovesMyPups (Apr 18, 2010)

Hello everyone! It's been awhile since I've been around... things have been crazy but I see that some familiar people are still around and posting and I'm hoping some of you can help me out!

So without too much back story, Lo has been on Prednisone for approximately 1 1/2 years now... We were never able to wean her off it completely so she is at the lowest daily dose that keeps her comfortable, functional, and happy. 

Our latest issue is brittle bones, I believe due to her long treatment with Prednisone... I wasn't aware that this drug prompts her kidneys to excrete calcium and at the same time makes it extremely difficult for her body to absorb calcium. :-( I feel terrible that I didn't know this and that it's causing issues now. 

Anyway, she now has 2 fractures in her tail (which is just the extension of her spine) and I'm very worried about what might be next. 

I really want to start supplementing with a high dose of calcium and/or vitamin D. Do you know of something that would be safe to give her? She has been eating Ziwi Peak for almost 5 years or so now, but I cannot give her raw bones because she has also broke teeth due to her Prednisone...

Thank you for reading, I look forward to any advice that comes our way!


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## princess_ella (Jun 4, 2005)

Prednisone are you using it for allergies if so I read good reviews on BIoCOat it an alternative to prednisone in natural form.Not sure on the calcium hope someonelse comes along with some ideas.


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## felix93 (Apr 2, 2009)

I am not too sure if this helps at all. One of my Chis has fractured 2 of her front legs last year, found out she is very lack of calcium. My vet presccribed "Zolcal-D" as supplement. Usually this is for "reptiles" as they need calcium for them to grow. My girl is still on this supplement daily. This is a liquid calcium and vitamin D3 med.


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

I use liquid Osteocare,which is for humans for my animals, although I have never had a dog with the issues your little one is having. It is balanced calcium, so in a form ready to be utilised, available from good chemists. Do check with your vet first though.


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## 4bsingreece (Apr 11, 2012)

Not sure if this will be helpful or not, but my son has the same issue. He has brittle bones and we discovered that he intakes enough calcium but you need vitamin D for your body to absorb calcium into your bones. My son who is 12 takes 1000 units of Vitamin D3 everyday. Since bring on it he hasn't broken a bone since. Good luck. 


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

I was also wondering if just adding vit D would do the trick, as I believe ZiwiPeak is quite bone-heavy, so should have plenty of calcium in.


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## Barracuda51 (Oct 7, 2012)

Poptart has the same prob with his bones due in part to all that hes been thru and no one carring about his health and nutrition. 
I gotta agree go with a liquid calcium and vitamin D3 sup it absorbs quicker and is much more better than pill or powder. Make sure to not over do it, it maybe a good thing to give but to much can be a bad thing..

Thats along time to be on Prednisone, what dose/mg are you giving a day? The dog should be having breaks for few days off the pred when being given long term, you can slowly wean down the dose till off for atleast several days, then only give smaller dose durring flare ups or as need be.


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

I took prednisone for 38 years every day mostly. I then got on to every other day therapy and finally got off. I now have 'osteopenia' due to the long term pred. I also have 'new' knees and hips! I take Calcium and Vitamin D together, and the rhematologist put me on extra V D3 also. Hope your little pup gets help in the form of vita D and calcium.


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

The Wholistic Pet

Wholistic Canine Complete

Good Read:
Calcium Deficiency In Dogs | Natural Dogs Health

Also I think egg shells have a lot of calcium


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## LovesMyPups (Apr 18, 2010)

Thank you everyone who replied!!

Princess Ella- The prednisone is not for allergies, she actually has immune mediated polyarthritis. Her immune system attacks her own body and her poor joints get the worst of it. :-( Thank you for the suggestion. 

Felix- Thank you for the recommendation! I haven't heard of the Zolcal-D before, but I will definitely look into it and ask her vet about supplementing with that!

Wicked Pixie- Thank you for the recommendation of the Osteocare! I'll definitely look into it, and it's nice hearing that it's human grade.  Thanks again! 

4bsingreece- I'm sorry to hear that your son has issues like this at such a young age. However, it is encouraging to hear that with a treatment of vitamin D3 there has been improvement, it really gives me hope for my little girl.  Thank you!

Barracuda51- Thank you for your reply! I'm definitely looking more towards liquid supplements as to powders or pills since it appears to be absorbed easier, and definitely a combination of the two will be necessary for her condition. She gets 2.5mg in the morning and 1.25mg in the evenings with meals (She started at a higher dose, but this has been her dose for about a year now). Unfortunately, we have tried multiple times to wean her off, skip days, or reduce further. It's painfully obvious if she's skipped even one dose and honestly takes a week or more to get her back to her "normal" self when she takes a turn like that. :-( I wish we could eliminate it, but she has quite a few overlapping issues now at her age and I know I don't have as much time left with her as I would like, so keeping her comfortable and happy for her remainder is my one and only concern... Thanks again! 

Susan Davis- Thank you for your reply! It does seem like treatment surrounding prednisone seems to be very similar between humans and dogs, so thank you for letting me know your treatment plan. That helps figure out what she is lacking. 

Huly- Thank you for the links! Have you used the Wholistic Canine Complete? It didn't look like it has vitamin D included, so I would still need to supplement that, but I take a liquid vitamin D every day so I can share.  Also, thank you for the reminder about egg shells, which makes me think just a vitamin D supplement would do her a lot of good since I give her ground egg shell once or twice a week currently. 

Again, I appreciate all the replies, suggestions, and well wishes! For now, I'm at least going to be giving her liquid vitamin D with her food since I have it in my cupboard anyway. I'll figure out a calcium supplement that would be easy on her and then discuss doses with her vet(s). 
Thank you!!


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Yeah I use Canine Complete as an all around supplement. It is good stuff! 

Another major source for Vitamin D is sun if I am remembering correctly. 

foods high in Vitamin D are Fish, Cod Liver Oil, Dairy (yougurt), & Eggs, 

Here is a good article:
Foods High in Vitamin D - Foods Rich in Vitamin D - Vitamin D Source
Supplement Dog Health with Vitamins and Minerals
Fat Soluble Vitamins: Vitamin A, D, E, & K in Dogs

No becareful with Vitamin D supplements- Read these articles:
Vitamin D Poisoning in Dogs | petMD
Dog Food Recalled Over High Vitamin D Levels
Too much vitamin D in Mercadona dog food causes pet deaths


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

One thing my nutrionist is a freak about is food based vitamins over synthetic ones. She will not give or sell anything with synthetic vitamins esp Vitamin K.


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