The Dangers of Calcium Deficiency in Dogs

Four in the morning is just too early to get up, but Daisy likes to arise when I do.  She knows its feeding time.  Afterward, she likes to crawl back into bed with either Roy or Shaanon where its nice and warm and cozy.

With eight new puppies to feed, Daisy welcomes every ounce of food and every drop of water.  She’s such a great mother to those babies.  They’re all strong and healthy and well fed. 

I thought it was so cute that she couldn’t jump up on my bed after the puppies were born.  When she was pregnant, being too fat to jump, she’d whine a little and put her paws up on the bed so I’d bend over and pick her up. 

Daisy had a few tell-tale signs that she wasn’t getting enough nutrients, but I attributed them all to the arrival of the new puppies.  Since she couldn’t jump up on my  bed, I thought that she thought she was still pregnant.  And her milk looked as if it could be fuller, but I thought the babies were drinking it as fast as she was producing it.

One morning I got up as usual and Daisy got up with me.  But instead of going directly to her food dish, she just kinda laid on the floor and stared at me.  I thought that maybe she just wasn’t hungry yet. 

After my shower I checked on her again and she just looked at me with sad little eyes.  Then she trotted off heading downstairs to go get in bed with Shaanon.  Now was a good time for a cup of coffee and a little news.  

Checking on Daisy was on my mind as I headed downstairs after my daily 10 oz. of morning coffee.  It was a bit dark on the stairwell, with just a hint of  light coming from the living room, when something appeared to me on the landing.  Was it Daisy just laying there?  Was she alive?  Reaching down, Daisy felt limp.  A screech came flooding out of my mouth, “Daisy is dying!”.  Apparently, the voice was sheer panic because everyone in the house was awakened with a start!

Roy thought I was dying as I rushed Daisy upstairs swaddled in my arms!  Daisy was shivering, almost spasming, and her breaths were short and forced.  She scared me to death.  Shaanon called the vet and was directed to the Animal Hospital in Salem.  We weren’t sure she’d make it all the way to Salem.

Shaanon and Brian drove her immediately to the all night hospital.  Thankfully, Daisy made the trip and the Vet instantly put an IV in her.  After about ten minutes, the Vet told Shaanon and Brian that Daisy was calcium deficient and her temperature was 106 degrees.  107 degrees is critical, so we were lucky she made it in time.

The Vet told the kids that calcium deficiency is typical in small dogs, especially new mothers, and gave them a calcium supplement for Daisy, as well as some instructions on buying special dog food for her.

The puppies are still growing strong and getting bigger everyday.  Daisy is a good momma and almost gave her life for her babies.

I think she’ll be getting fixed very soon…

2 comments March 18, 2011