calcium & phosphor need?

[TLR]

Does anyone know how much calcium & phosphor a 17 month male rott needs?

(His current food contains 1,1% calcium and 0,9% phosphor.)

Thanks in advance :)

[rottnkidd]

TLR- If you don't mind me asking, what are you currently feeding?
Thanks -
kathy

[TLR]

I feed soaked dry food ("doggy") mixed with canned dog food. And sometimes some leftovers.

[mmgy]

Hi TLR. Canidae dog food, which is popular here on the USA side of this forum, has 1.3% calcium and 1.01% phosphorus. Typically I think it's suggested to not go over a 1.5:1 ratio, so yours sound okay to me. Now whether it's appropriate for that age rottweiler, I'll leave to some folks more versed in this breed.

Hope this helps a bit.:)

[TLR]

OK, it sounds good.

Thank you mmgy.

[rottnkidd]

JMO, but I'd say the Ca:P ratio is ok for an ADULT Rottweiler, and you could even add fresh meat, eggs, or canned fish occasionally without upsetting the ratio too much. Best wishes -
kathy

[CarolineS]

The optimum calcium/phosphorus ratio is the same for a pup or an adult. The optimum is 1.3:1 and commercial dog foods formulated to meet AAFCO standards will have this ratio.

What differs is the amount of calcium and phosphorus needed by growing dogs and adults. Young pups require a greater amount of calcium and phosphorus than adults do. It is also imperative that the ratio for a pup be as close to optimum as possible.

After about 7 months of age, a dog develops the ability to excrete or take up more of the calcium offered as needed and the ratio isn't quite as critical. It can be anywhere from 1:1 to 2:1 and not cause harm in a healthy dog, though one should always strive to meet the optimum ratio.

Since I make my Maggie's food myself and her foods are severly limited by her allergies, her calcium/phosphorus ratio has ranged from 1.2:1 to 1.7:1 over the last four years, with no adverse effects. Since Dresden has no allergies, it is much easier to manipulate foods and supplements to keep her ratio close to optimum.