D3 Levels in Calcium Supplements

[RioReptiles]

I was thinking about getting some calcium with added D3, just to have on hand. I don't use it with D3 because we use mvb's, but I like to be super prepared for problems and like having everything on hand in case of an emergency.
As I was doing research, I found a lot of controversy over the use of D3, mostly that the "pros" don't use it or recommend it. Plainly stating if the animal gets adequate UV exposure, it isn't necessary. I kind of took it as if they are saying we don't take proper care of our highly regarded pets, but I understand where they're coming from. And the fact that too much of it will also cause MBD.

Rep Cal contains 400 IU per gram or 1000 mg, same as humans daily requirements
Zoo Med contains 122 IU per gram or 1000mg, roughly 1/3 of the other

1 gram is 1/3rd of a teaspoon, or a teaspoon is 3 grams, this might help with how much we use

Is it safe to assume that neither of these contain enough D3 to cause problems? Considering how much we use per serving, a dragon probably only ingests about half of it, if that.

So with the Rep Cal I think the dosage would end up to be about 50 IU a day and the Zoo Med around 15 IU per day.

And I forgot where I was going with this (all caught up in the math). Starting to look like an article! lol

My opinion, I weigh 100 lbs and the daily human dosage is 400 IU's, my dragon weighs 1lb (the biggest) and gets UV all day, so I would assume a safe level would be 4 IU daily since all living things probably synthesize D3 in a similar manner.

I'm a dork for even writing all this but I thought it was useful, maybe to someone. I think my aim was just for opinions and thoughts, gotta a lot of good ones around here.

Have a great night!
Cheryl

 

[ErinMeetsMachine]

hah wow. Tracie would be your expert on this. It's all greek to me.

 

[Drache613]

Hello Cheryl,

That looks like stuff that I have done in the past, too in order to make sure I was giving proper dosage. I personally don't use D3, but, I have in the past. I keep calcium with D3 around, & every so often I throw some in with their regular vitamins just for a little boost if they happen to need it.
We use Megarays so we definitely don't need any D3 on a regular basis.
The only true way to "measure" their calcium intake is to use liquid calcium, & dose it according to their weight.
The powder is hard to measure unless you literally get a measuring spoon out & measure it. Do you literally measure the calcium in a spoon?
The dosage for liquid calcium is 1mg/kg but as far as the dosage for powdered it is different. I would dose it the same way, which is not much. So no, the amounts of D3 found in the powders are not large amounts & if given properly, should not be enough to cause any problems. Hypervitaminosis D is not a real common ailment, it is usually the other way around, the lack of calcium & D3.
You are correct though oversupplementation can cause hard, bony protrusions on the cervical & spinal column as well as on the rib areas due to bone mineralization.

Tracie