Calcium citrate

What is calcium citrate?

Calcium citrate is an organic compound of calcium and citric acid. It is a white powder or granulate that dissolves well in water. Calcium citrate has an acidic taste and can be used as an acidifier or preservative in food.

How does calcium citrate work in dogs?

Calcium citrate is broken down in the stomach into free calcium and citric acid. The free calcium is then absorbed in the small intestine and transported into the blood. There it can take part in various metabolic processes or be stored in the bones.

Citric acid has a diuretic effect and can lower the pH value of the urine. This can help to prevent or dissolve urinary stones. Citric acid can also improve iron absorption.

What are the benefits of calcium citrate for dogs?

Calcium citrate has several advantages as a source of calcium for dogs:

• It has a high bioavailability, which means it is well absorbed by the body.
• It is effective regardless of the composition of the feed, i.e. it can also be effective if the feed has a high phosphorus, fat or fiber content.
• It can be helpful in certain diseases, for example osteoporosis (bone loss), renal insufficiency (kidney weakness) or struvite stones (urinary stones made of magnesium ammonium phosphate).

What are the disadvantages of calcium citrate for dogs?

Calcium citrate also has some disadvantages as a source of calcium for dogs:

• It can lead to an oversupply of calcium if dosed too high or if the dog is already getting enough calcium from other sources. This can lead to an imbalance in the calcium-phosphorus balance and affect bone, kidney and heart health.
• If it is administered for too long or too exclusively, it can lead to a deficiency of other minerals. For example, the absorption of magnesium or zinc can be inhibited.
• It can lead to side effects such as diarrhea, vomiting or loss of appetite if it is not well tolerated.

How much calcium citrate should a dog be given?

The optimal amount of calcium citrate depends on various factors such as the dog's age, weight, health status and diet. In general, you should follow the manufacturer's recommendations or ask a vet for advice.

As a rule of thumb, an adult dog needs about 50 to 80 mg/kg body weight of total calcium per day. About 30 to 50 % of this should come from organic sources such as calcium citrate. This means, for example, that a 20 kg dog needs around 1000 to 1600 mg of total calcium per day. Of this, around 300 to 800 mg should come from organic sources.