What happens if a mother dog is calcium-deficient?

Calcium is an important mineral for muscle contraction; deficiency can cause weak uterine muscle contractions during delivery, leading to difficult labor or even dystocia. Second, insufficient calcium can affect milk quality—if puppies can’t get enough calcium from the milk, their bones and teeth may develop poorly.

In addition, a lactating mother dog low on calcium easily develops postpartum hypocalcemia, with symptoms including stiff limbs, tremors, appetite loss, and coma. Finally, long-term deficiency can cause the mother herself to develop bone problems such as osteoporosis and joint pain.