Influence of Lactose and Dried Skim Milk upon the Magnesium Deficiency Syndrome in the Dog

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Studies were conducted to investigate the effect of lactose and dried skim milk upon the magnesium deficiency syndrome of the weanling dog. Dogs fed low magnesium diets exhibited decreased growth, femur ash, serum calcium and magnesium, and increased serum phosphorus values as compared with those of dogs fed diets adequate in magnesium. Aorta and kidney ash, and the calcium and phosphorus values of these dogs were increased. Both dried skim milk and MgSO4 were shown to furnish adequate amounts of magnesium to support growth and prevent soft tissue calcification. Dogs fed diets containing dried skim milk exhibited more rapid growth and higher femur ash than dogs fed diets containing similar amounts of lactose and magnesium from MgSO4. Ash, calcium and phosphorus values of aortas and kidneys of dogs fed the low magnesium basal diet with added lactose indicated less severe calcification than that exhibited by dogs fed the low magnesium basal diet alone. Dogs fed diets marginally adequate in magnesium (100 ppm) grew more rapidly when the diet contained 10% of lactose than when higher or lower amounts were included in the diet.