Golden Retriever (Detailed Introduction)

　　Table salt is the most common seasoning in cooking, a key substance for the normal metabolism of animals, and a widely used additive in many foods. Foods without any taste, let alone dogs, even humans dislike eating. However, many dog owners often discuss whether dogs can eat table salt. Today, we will provide a detailed introduction on whether dogs can consume table salt and what problems occur if dogs drink too much salt.

　　1. Why many people say dogs cannot eat salt

　　Some believe dogs eating salt will get skin diseases, showing as continuous hair loss. Actually, this claim lacks scientific basis. If skin diseases are really caused by salt, it’s due to excessive intake. Excessive salt increases sweating, but dogs’ sweat glands have degenerated, so they don’t sweat on their skin. Dogs mainly dissipate heat through their tongue and paw pads. Therefore, excessive salt intake can easily lead to skin diseases. Moreover, excessive salt combined with dehydration can cause salt poisoning in dogs. However, since dogs’ kidneys have excellent excretory functions, salt poisoning cases are rare but do increase the kidney’s burden.

　　2. Actually dogs are not unable to eat salt

　　First, let’s consider what salt means to living beings. We all know that if humans lack salt, they easily get fatigued. The same applies to dogs. If dogs lack salt, beyond fatigue, they may also develop various skin diseases and growth problems. So, dogs are not unable to eat salt; only with an appropriate amount of salt can dogs live healthily.

　　However, generally, if you feed your dog commercial dog food, no extra salt is necessary because the salt content in dog food already meets the dog’s needs. Extra salt may instead cause urinary system diseases. For owners making homemade dog food, you must remember to supplement an appropriate amount of salt. Dogs need about 20 mg of salt per kilogram of body weight daily.

　　To avoid excessive salt intake, owners must not feed their dogs table food. If dogs eat salty food, owners should promptly provide adequate clean water for drinking. Some may say, "Our dog has always eaten table food without any problems!" Experts note that excessive salt intake does not show obvious symptoms in the short term. This is a cumulative process. When symptoms appear, it means the dog has been consuming excessive salt for a long time.

Table Salt

　　3. Pathogenesis of salt poisoning in dogs

　　Salt poisoning in dogs mainly occurs due to excessive intake of high-salt foods causing dehydration and even significant neurological symptoms. High-salt foods include salted chicken and meat. If a dog has mild salt poisoning, treatment can include sodium diuresis and fluid infusion. Severe salt poisoning can be life-threatening.

　　Clinical cases of salt poisoning in dogs are relatively rare and mainly caused by accidental ingestion of salted foods or fishmeal additives. The occurrence of salt poisoning is closely related to the dog’s water intake. If dogs consume large amounts of salty foods and have sufficient water, the toxin is excreted more easily, preventing poisoning. However, insufficient water intake, intense exercise, or hot weather causing dehydration easily triggers poisoning.

　　4. Treatment methods for salt poisoning in dogs

　　Since dogs are not sensitive to salt, veterinarians rarely encounter salt poisoning cases, leading to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. Diagnosis mainly depends on recent history of eating high-salt foods or triggers such as intense exercise, vomiting, and insufficient water intake. Clinical signs such as restlessness, ataxia, and generalized muscle spasms confirm diagnosis.

　　1. If salt poisoning is suspected, provide plenty of clean water in divided doses to ensure hydration without worsening cerebral edema. Administer an emetic to quickly expel salt from the stomach. Mild cases usually recover without medication. For severe neurological symptoms, besides emesis and gastric lavage with water, 10% calcium gluconate IV drip should be given promptly to replace sodium ions with calcium ions to restore ionic balance and alleviate symptoms.

　　2. To reduce cerebral edema and intracranial pressure, use 25% mannitol or hypertonic glucose solution for IV infusion.

　　3. To prevent salt poisoning, dog diets should reasonably limit salty ingredients such as bacon, ham, and fishmeal. Avoid feeding high-salt foods during hot weather or after intense exercise and provide sufficient drinking water.

　　It’s clear that commonly used table salt can also cause poisoning in dogs. If your dog accidentally consumes excessive salt or drinks too much saltwater and gets poisoned, take them to the vet promptly. Adult dogs have strong resistance and can survive symptoms; puppies, however, cannot withstand severe intestinal damage and neurological symptoms, and most will die once affected.