Oyster Shells for supplement?

[Giny]

For those who does home cooking for your dogs, what type of calcium supplement do you use for them?

I home cook, would like to do raw and tried but it just didn't work with my dogs. I home cook because Kassie has many issues with food with allergies, and colitis. So her diet is restricted. They no longer are on any types of commercial foods.

I've been using oyster shell calcium, I know some use egg shells, but I never know the right amount to give them. With the oyster shells, I can tell the amount I'm giving. But I'm wondering if it's an ok supplement for them.

Any thoughts?

Plus I'm trying to balance it out with the right vitamins. I know that the natural way is best, but I do add some forms of supplements, like vitamin C, E, and fish oil. Others vitamins given naturally are from pumpkin and cooked spinach added to ground burger, all wheat rice and boiled eggs.

[naturalfeddogs]

I feed 100% raw so mine get it from bone. If you are homecooking you could try eggshells. Or maybe plain yogurt as well.

[Giny]

Like I said, I just don't know the right amount of egg shells. And for some reason, Kassie does not like yogurt.

[Kat09Tails]

Oyster shells are way way way too coarse in most forms i've seen to be useful but are you using a powder? My only other hesitation with oyster shell is that the waters oysters grow in tend to me strife with chemical and heavy metal runoff. The calcium in egg shells are quite a bit more digestible, usually is cleaner, and imo a better idea. The other option is using chicken or pork bones for your calcium. Both tend to be readily consumable for small dogs.

[Giny]

Originally Posted by Kat09Tails

Oyster shells are way way way too coarse in most forms i've seen to be useful but are you using a powder? My only other hesitation with oyster shell is that the waters oysters grow in tend to me strife with chemical and heavy metal runoff. The calcium in egg shells are quite a bit more digestible, usually is cleaner, and imo a better idea. The other option is using chicken or pork bones for your calcium. Both tend to be readily consumable for small dogs.

That was my concern as well, then read that if it's USP graded that it's ok. But who knows? I get the pill form and grind it up in the coffee grinder, it turns it to powder.

I wonder if I can get powdered bones? She can't have any bones from chicken or any birds.

[Giny]

Oh, never mind, found it online.

[MafiaPrincess]

I power eggshells.. Toss them in the food processor and save them in a container.

[Giny]

But how much should I use of the egg shells? Can I over do it? I do big batches at a time, and freeze some. I'd say one of my containers holds about 3 pounds of food, or 8 to 10 cups of food.

Also forgot that I add 5 boiled eggs to the mixture. I don't know if that's enough egg shell for the entire batch, it doesn't seem enough. I used to dry out the egg shells in the oven then mix it into powder in the coffee grinder.

[HayleyMarie]

You said you could not feed them turkey or chicken bones, but what about pig bones. The ribs are fantastic nice and soft and so easy to chew.

And how about feeding them fish? I feed Teagan a chunk of Mackeral about every second day.

To be honest I dont supliment my dogs if they are getting enough variety I just dont worry about it, but when I was starting out with raw I would keep the eggs shells from all the breakfast, crunch them up and sprinkle them in with her food. I did not really worry about how much she was getting as long as she was getting some.

If you can I would really try the pork ribs out. They are great!

[katielou]

You can buy the powdered bone. I've used it before.