Can Dogs Have Salt? Everything To Know About Feeding Your Pup

Taking care of your fluffy friend is incredibly fulfilling, and yet one of the most difficult tasks to undertake.

As a pet parent, there can be nothing more satisfying than the fact that your pet pup or dog is healthy and happy. We as pet parents, need to take responsibility and provide our dogs with food that is not toxic and is beneficial for their overall growth and happiness.

While we would love to share our favorite food items with our pet dogs, it is a well-known fact that dogs cannot digest most of the same food items that humans can. Even though we may like some items like vinegar crisps, pepper, and salt, these are harmful to dogs! We need to govern the food items that we include in the diets of our pets. Puppies need attention and care, just like human infants. Puppies are said to grow substantially during the first six months, and the right nutrition is critical to support this rapid growth. Let's look at some facts and techniques to provide the best nutrition to your little fuzzy friends!

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Consequences Of Consuming Too Much Salt In Dog's Food

We all know that salt or sodium chloride is a core ingredient for nutrition. Here is everything you need to know about the consequences of dogs consuming too much salt.

Sodium provides an electrolyte balance to maintain body fluids. Salt is used as a natural flavor enhancer in almost all of our savory dishes. We love to eat sprinkled salt on foods like french fries, chips, pretzels, etc. We humans have the upper hand in this regard as we know what amount of salt is essential for our diet. Dogs do not have this capacity, which can be dangerous for their health and could cause serious stomach-related issues.

Dogs do need to eat sodium as part of their electrolyte balance, and an amount of 0.008-0.05 oz per 3.5 oz (0.25 g-1.5 g per 100 g) of food can be included in their diets. The amount of salt present in these quantities helps dogs in maintaining cellular functions like fluid balance, nerve transmission, and acid-base balance.

When not monitored, too much salt in dog food can cause serious complications in a dog's health. Salt poisoning is caused if your dog has eaten too much salt. The first sign of salt poisoning is excessive thirst. Dogs become easily tired and can have a swollen stomach. Other symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, tremors, seizures, etc. If you think your pet dog is showing symptoms of salt poisoning, immediately call your vet or any veterinary clinic as soon as possible, since it can even lead to death.

Nutritional Value Of Salt For Dogs

Dogs can eat some amounts of salt in moderation. Read on to learn more.

Ask your veterinary doctor about how much salt you can give your dog. Sodium levels, when kept moderated, can be beneficial to a dog's body. Sodium maintains the cellular environment and prevents dehydration in cells. It also helps maintain proper nerve and muscle cell function. Dogs love salt and can easily be addicted to it. Too much salt intake can lead to sodium ion poisoning. When dogs eat too many salty foods, the signs of salt or sodium ion poisoning include increased salivation, diarrhea, tremors, seizures, and dehydration leading to fatal consequences.

Pink Himalayan Salt: Is It Healthy Or Unhealthy For Dogs

We all know that table salt is unnatural and highly processed. So, what should we give our dogs?

The processing treatment that normal salt goes through removes important minerals and nutrients from it. We have successfully found the solution to this issue by changing common salt with pink Himalayan salt in human food. Himalayan salt is comparatively a healthier alternative as it consists of several minerals that are missing from regular salt. While too much consumption of any kind of salt is harmful and bad for dogs, including pink Himalayan salt in their diet can help them consume many minerals.

You can feed your dog with a little amount of Himalayan pink salt in their treats. It has several benefits as it helps in lowering blood pressure, induces digestion, rich in mineral content, stimulates circulation, maintains pH balance, and also prevents heart diseases. Certain tips like including Himalayan salt licks can be incorporated into your dog's diet.

Iodized Sea Salt: Healthy Or Unhealthy For Dogs

Another alternative to common table salt is sea salt. Discover if it's healthy or unhealthy for your dogs.

Sea salt can be included as a substituent in our as well as our pet's treat. Since sea salt is extracted from the evaporation of seawater or sea deposits, it can contain a plethora of nutrients and ingredients that are lost in normal salt. Sea salt is minimally processed and hence, consists of minerals such as potassium, iron, and calcium and is termed superior to table salt.

Other Food Items That Can Be Fatal To Dogs

While we love to include our pet dogs as part of our own family and provide them with all the things that they enjoy, it is evident to know that they do not know better, and we ourselves should keep dangerous food items out of their menu.

There are many food items that are nutritious to humans but can be severely harmful if dogs eat them.

Apple seeds: although apples are healthy for dogs, apple seeds are harmful to their health. The seeds contain a chemical called amygdalin, which releases cyanide and it enters the dog's bloodstream while digesting.

Avocado: avocado is one of the fruits which may require the attention of a vet if it gets eaten by your dog. Avocado contains the fungicidal toxin called persin that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and congestion in dogs.

Alcohol: alcohol is infamous for causing intoxication and has ruined coordination in humans. Dogs are no exception to this! In addition, alcohol also causes abnormal acidity, difficulty in breathing, coma, and even death.

Chocolates: chocolates are extremely delicious but a big no-no for dogs. Chocolates contain a stimulant called theobromine and a bit of caffeine. This stimulant affects several organs of the dogs, including the guts, heart, kidney, and central nervous system. Symptoms of consumption of chocolates in dogs include vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, seizures, tremors, and a spike in heartbeat.

Onions and garlic: onions and garlic, raw or cooked, should be kept away from your dog's reach. They can kill their red blood cells and cause anemia, which can be fatal. Look out for signs such as weakness, vomiting, and breathing problems.

Grapes and raisins: while they might look like a fun and great treat for your dog, the consumption of grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure. Even a small amount is enough to make your dog sick. Constant vomiting is an early sign of this type of consumption. Your dog can get extremely lethargic and depressed within a single day.

Raw meats and fish: consumption of raw meat or fish can cause food poisoning for your dogs. Some fish have a parasite that causes fish disease or salmon poisoning disease. The symptoms include fever and enlarged lymph nodes. Cooked fish and meat can be instilled in their diets as the bacteria gets killed in the cooking process.

Yeast: while a slice of bread may not be that harmful, the intake of actual yeast can cause a severe emergency to your dog's health. Yeast, if consumed, can continue to grow inside the warm stomach of a dog and can cause a severe case of bloating known as Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (GDV). Symptoms include drooling, weakness, trying to vomit, not laying down, a bloated stomach, and not being able to go to the bathroom. If you notice any of these symptoms, call your vet immediately, as bloat is fatal.

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