What should calcium and phos levels be in puppy food??

[Lab_Luver_Furever]

I am wondering what the calcium and phosphorus levels should be at in the food I am feeding my puppy. I am currently switching her over to 4Health Puppy and levels are calc 1.2% min and phos 1.2% min. Is that too high?? My vet said I should switch her to a large breed puppy bc she is growing pretty fast and generally the calcium and phos levels are supposed to be lower in the food. So I looked at Diamond Naturals LB puppy and the Calcium is 1.2% min and phos is 1.0% min. The difference I am seeing is 0.2% in the phos levels.. is that really a big difference. I dont think my vet was familiar with 4Health but I told him it was made by Diamond Naturals and he said be careful bc Diamond is really commercial or something. Anyways before I switch her again I just want to make sure that the food I am putting her on now is ok in the calcium and phos levels.
What should the levels of both be in puppy food???

[Bob Pr.]

Large Breed Puppy Diet Recommendations

Calcium about 1.2%, Phosphorus 1%

[Lab_Luver_Furever]

Any brand of food recomendations that meet these numbers as the maximum? Most all bags I have seen only list the minimum..

[Hershey123]

The answer is anyone's guess. The research is not convincing to me at all, because is is clouded by obesity in the samples. I know breeders of giant breeds that use foods in the upper 2% range and have never had a problem in multiple generations.

The vast majority of orthopedic problems are due to bad breeding, injury as a pup and early neutering. That is fact.

How many dopes have you seen jogging with a 6 month old large breed dog or playing fetch recklessly with a puppy in a park?

The hysteria about calcium and phosphorous levels has more to do about marketing Large Breed foods than science.

[Belles mom]

Any brand of food recomendations that meet these numbers as the maximum? Most all bags I have seen only list the minimum..

Many of the foods you have to email them for the actual percentages. averting food I started to wean my pups to had a min of 1.2 cal, but the actual was closer to 2%. The rep argued that higher levels of cal was desired.

Ironically I have to agree with Hershey123 on some of this. I would worry MUCH more about about a poorly bred/over forced exercised/early neutered pup fed a lower Ca/Phos fpod, than a well bred, well kept pup fed a higher protein, higher (mid 1.5-1.7) Ca/Phos food.

[Snowco Labradors]

Calcium to phosphorour ratios should be 1.2:1 in any dog food for proper absorption, whether feeding a pup or an adult or senior.

See http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?articleid=652

[cinderbay]

The hysteria about calcium and phosphorous levels has more to do about marketing Large Breed foods than science.

I don't agree and that is not of my opinion but of facts. So your saying the hundreds of vets from across the country who compile their research for Small Animal Clinical Nutrition (of which they just updated and now have a 5th volume) and who sets the optimal ranges for what should be in a pets food, for whatever life stage, is just bull? Eek.

This is really why I stay away from food questions any more. I see poor information given out and never based on any facts.

[labby]

I am not a believer in LB puppy foods for Labs. Tried it and had some orthopedic problems that I hadn't had before. Went back to a regular puppy food and the ortho problems that I had seen went away. Here is the link on the FDA site with their recommendations.

Selecting Nutritious Pet Foods