Giant Dogs

　　Nowadays, most people feed their dogs with kibble or canned food. These large pet food brands employ many nutrition experts to formulate their products,

　　and the calcium content in kibble or canned food is already sufficient. However, the traditional mentality is that dogs should be fat and strong. With the popularity of Golden Retrievers and Labradors,

　　many owners spare no expense buying nutritional supplements, especially calcium powder, hoping their dogs will grow big and strong. Little do they know, this imposes a serious nutritional burden on the dogs,

　　excess calcium can cause orthopedic diseases such as Hip Dysplasia, Osteochondrosis Dissecans,

　　Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy, and deformation of the radius and ulna in the forelimbs. Besides orthopedic diseases, there are non-orthopedic related diseases such as stones, cutaneous calcinosis, cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases, etc. Some cardiovascular medications even use calcium channel blockers, so too much calcium is actually harmful.

　　I have conducted screenings for hip dysplasia on many dogs. Dogs that have taken calcium powder show earlier onset and more severe cases. Calcium can promote bone growth but cannot promote muscle growth at the same rate. Therefore, when bones grow rapidly but muscles do not keep up, the femoral head is pulled out of the joint socket, causing structural changes in the hip joint. When the hip joint structure is abnormal, normal orthopedic mechanics during exercise change, increasing the stress on the bones, leading to hip joint laxity, a shallower socket, and flattening of the femoral head. The animal’s physiological response to stabilize the joint is to repair the damaged cartilage and subchondral bone by producing bone spurs near the joint, which is known as degenerative arthritis. Once degenerative arthritis occurs, it cannot return to normal. Dogs that have taken calcium powder also show calcium deposits on the ribs in chest X-rays. This phenomenon is only seen in elderly dogs or dogs with chronic kidney disease. Therefore, dogs fed with kibble or canned food should never be given calcium powder to avoid wasting money and causing the dog harm.

　　Nutritional Needs of Large Dogs

　　Large and giant dogs are currently the most popular breeds in the West, but breeds with adult weights over 25 kg tend to develop developmental orthopedic diseases, and these diseases are related to diet. In recent years, many researchers have focused on the connection between diet and bone diseases, especially developmental orthopedic diseases in large breed puppies.

Research literature records that improper diet can trigger various orthopedic diseases in growing large and giant breed puppies. Statistics show that approximately 22% of large and giant breed puppies suffer from bone diseases before the age of one, with 90% related to improper diet. Improper diet includes:

　　1) Feeding large breed puppies high-calorie diets without limitation.

　　2) Giving calcium supplements like calcium powder and calcium milk during the growth period of large breed puppies. Under inappropriate dietary conditions, large and giant breed puppies typically develop developmental orthopedic diseases during periods of rapid long bone growth. Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD), Osteochondrosis, and Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy (HOD) are the most common developmental orthopedic diseases in dogs.

　　Conclusion

　　Humans have bred many different dog breeds, each with unique body types, personalities, and nutritional needs. Breeders and owners can feed specific breeds and body sizes with the most appropriate nutritional formulas thoroughly researched and proven to keep them healthy. Small and medium breeds usually require diets with higher energy content to match their higher metabolic rates. Using barley and sorghum as primary starch sources in the diet helps maintain normal postprandial blood sugar and insulin levels. This benefit applies to all dogs, be they giant, large, medium, or small breeds. Puppies of large and giant breeds during growth require special attention to diet formulation. Only formulas with appropriate energy levels and lower calcium content are suitable for them. Owners and breeders knowledgeable about the specific health and nutritional needs of their breeds are better able to provide proper nutrition and care for their beloved dogs.