# Calcium supplement vs bones



## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

Can you swap out bones and replace it with a calcium supplement?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

You can. I use eggshells in Banshee's food because she has crf. But unless there is a health issue, why would you want to?


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## LissG (Jun 18, 2011)

the bones keep getting stuck. i'm looking to change to a kibble but i'm having a hard time accepting that lol i feel like raw is just so much healthier


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

You weren't able to get a local source for ground raw?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

oh....well, you could grind the bones. I have a tasin grinder that handles necks well. Save your egg shells, bake them and then grind them in a coffee grinder.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/crf-...de-pet-food-phosphorus-binder/294260780605680


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I, personally, would attempt to find a source for raw ground before going to kibble if you would like to stay with raw.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Do you feed chicken bones? Do those get stuck too? In your other thread you were talking about beef and pork neck bones - I don't give those to my dogs. They get rib bones, knuckle bones, and lot of chicken bones. Chicken bones are hollow, lightweight, and soft. I tested it by biting down on a raw chicken thigh bone, it was like biting down on a cracker - that is how soft they are. 

In order for the metabolism to use calcium, it needs to be balanced with the correct ration of phosphorus and a boat-load of other minor minerals. The beauty of feeding bone is that it comes pre-packaged with the exact ratios of the all the nutrients and minerals needed to properly utilize the calcium in the body. Supplementing with only Calcium to replace bones in a raw diet is missing out on proper nutrition. So if your dog has issues with eating bones, try feeding the raw food ground up, as suggested.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

I believe the problem was the dog won't touch chicken...

You can add ground eggshells as mentioned...1/2tsp per pound of food (900mg)


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## Verivus (Nov 7, 2010)

Castlemaid said:


> In order for the metabolism to use calcium, it needs to be balanced with the correct ration of phosphorus and a boat-load of other minor minerals. The beauty of feeding bone is that it comes pre-packaged with the exact ratios of the all the nutrients and minerals needed to properly utilize the calcium in the body. Supplementing with only Calcium to replace bones in a raw diet is missing out on proper nutrition. So if your dog has issues with eating bones, try feeding the raw food ground up, as suggested.


This. Calcium is not the only thing that raw bones provide, it just happens to be the only one most people are aware of.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Bones are actually very high in phosphorus as well. Calcium binds to phosphorus and washes it out of the system. I'm not sure the long term affects of feeding a calcium supplement, even egg shells which are natural, without the rest of the minerals to balance it. I would assume it would then bind to the phosphorus in the rest of the food and possibly cause a nutritional imbalance. I would strongly advice you look at getting a grinder or a RAW ground supplier or talk to a nutritionist about keeping his diet balanced.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

The calcium of eggshells also provide trace minerals not found in a OTC calcium suppl. The 1/2tsp. per pound of fresh food w/o bone is recommended to balance the phos. found in the meat...

DogAware.com Articles: Crash Course on Calcium (Dog World Magazine)


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

GatorBytes said:


> The calcium of eggshells also provide trace minerals not found in a OTC calcium suppl. The 1/2tsp. per pound of fresh food w/o bone is recommended to balance the phos. found in the meat...
> 
> DogAware.com Articles: Crash Course on Calcium (Dog World Magazine)


I still think there is a key piece missing. Bone has way more phosphorus than meat done. Granted, you would have to increase the meat to get the required amount of food but that still wouldn't be equivalent. I have spreadsheets on this for Banshee to track the phosphorus.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I think before you sub in egg shells, or any calcium supplement, you should look up the nutritional values in the bone vs the egg shell. I just don't think the egg shell is an equivalent trade for bone.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I would look at the reason the bones get caught in the first place....if they are highly dense red meat bones and the dog won't eat chicken, try lamb, turkey necks. I agree with the grinder, but a dog, IMO should be able to chew up softer bones with no problems(excluding a senior with dental issues) 
I just got a Tasin grinder for Christmas and will only use it for grinding up nasty tongues! I hate touching them and they are not fun to chunk up/too rubbery.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

We have the Tasin also. It does turkey necks, duck and chicken necks just fine. The turkey had to be cut up a bit more than the others. I think it would do chicken quarters or other poultry bones with no problem as well.

I just chunk up the tongues. lol But I do have to grind the tripe which is no fun.


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