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Is it possible to add salt to a dog's porridge? The amount of salt a dog needs for the body |
Can dogs eat salt? Where is the truth? Probably every good owner has asked this question, because we are so afraid of harming the health of our pet. There are several views on this matter. Some are convinced that table salt in a dog’s diet is an unnecessary and harmful element, since it causes various diseases in the animal. There are also supporters of the opposite theory. They argue that, like humans, dogs need salt, and its lack leads to improper development of the animal. Who is this insidious salt?First, let's figure out what salt is and where it comes from. Table salt is a combination of sodium and chlorine ions. Sodium particles are necessary for optimizing the rhythm of the heart, as well as for muscle function and nerve cells. Chlorine performs an important function in the creation of hydrochloric acid, which is part of the gastric juice, thanks to which the digestive system can function normally. Unfortunately, salt is not formed inside the body and in order to supply the body with it, it must come from the outside, i.e. with food. Absorption of salt occurs entirely in the small intestine, and removal from the body through the kidneys, sweat glands and intestines. It will be necessary to know about blankets for dogs. Also, the benefit of salt is that it retains water in the body, that is, it helps to avoid dehydration, which is very dangerous. In addition, it stimulates neural conduction, and therefore brain function. Some may ask the question: “Does a dog need salt, and if the body needs it so much, then the more it is given to the pet, the better?” Undoubtedly, salt is necessary for humans and animals. And don’t forget the main thing - everything needs to be done in moderation. This applies to any food product in a dog’s diet. There is a myth that since dogs are carnivores, they should be fed meat. But that's not true. The fact is that the stomach of a domestic dog has long been accustomed to our food, and it cannot be compared with a wolf’s. Therefore, you cannot feed your pet pure meat, as his body simply cannot handle it. However, meat cannot be completely excluded, because it contains many irreplaceable beneficial elements. As for table salt, its excessive consumption can not only negatively affect the pet’s body, but also lead to death. Scientists have experimentally determined that the lethal dose of salt is three grams per kilogram of weight. However, it is in pets that salt poisoning most often occurs, and a lack of water aggravates this situation. Then the question arises: do dogs need to salt their food when cooking? It is worth noting that if you feed your dog high-quality food, then there is no need to add salt to the food. All daily norm already included in the feed. You can add salt if the products are not bought in stores, but from trusted sellers. Salt glutAny organism works normally only under conditions of overall balance, and if at least one element functions incorrectly, the entire system suffers. Excess salt makes itself felt almost immediately. The first sign is dehydration. When there is a large amount of salt in the body, the water balance of cells is disrupted. Your pet will constantly feel thirsty, regardless of whether it is hot or cold. As you know, salt retains water in the body, which subsequently accumulates in the tissues, causing the animal to experience swelling of the limbs and bloating. At first glance, the accumulation of fluid is a harmless phenomenon, but this is not at all the case. Due to the increase in the volume and density of blood, which must be constantly pumped through the body, the cardiovascular system suffers. Unfortunately, the heart does not have the ability to work at its limit for a long time, which leads to the destruction of organ cells. The excretory system is also affected. The accumulation of water in the body contributes to a sharp increase in blood pressure, which, in turn, causes deformation of the walls of blood vessels. This can lead to a number of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. Doesn't go unnoticed either nervous system. An excess of salt leads to stress in the hypothalamus, reducing its performance, which causes a disruption in the regulation of all body processes. If a dog suffers from excess salt for long enough, it can lead to complications:
If you find yourself in such a situation and don’t know what to do, then the first thing you need to do is contact a veterinary clinic to cleanse the body of excess salt, and also check the heart and kidneys, as failure or stones may be detected. The situation is much more dangerous when the dog has received salt poisoning. In this case, rapid dehydration of the body occurs. Due to a sharp lack of water, the body does not have time to adapt to the desired regime, which leads to dysfunction; the blood becomes so thick that the heart cannot pump it. In such a situation, the animal needs the help of specialists as quickly as possible, otherwise, this will lead to the death of the pet. How to understand that there is not enough salt?The lack of salt is also not indifferent to the animal’s body. Salt deficiency leads to stress and lethargy in the dog, and causes a constant feeling of thirst. The functioning of the digestive system is also impaired. Gastric juice consists of hydrochloric acid, which is formed on the basis of chlorine particles, and the acid-base balance is ensured by sodium ions. Do dogs need salt?As mentioned earlier, there is no consensus on this matter, even among scientists. Some experts believe that salt deficiency leads to abnormalities of the skeletal system, especially in puppies during the active growth period. Therefore, you need to add salt to your dog’s food yourself. Salt comes into the body directly from natural products, and there is no need to artificially introduce it into your pet’s food. However, whether or not your dog’s food needs to be salted is up to you to decide. As the experience of many dog breeders shows, there is no single plan. proper nutrition, suitable for absolutely everyone. How not to harm your pet?Let's summarize all of the above:
It is not surprising that every good owner strives to do only the best for his pet. That is why he thinks about whether or not to add salt to food. However, before you decide, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons. After all, the line between excess and deficiency of salt in dogs is so thin, and the life of your beloved pet may depend on it. About the author: Anna Mikhailovna TarasovaMy specialty is surgery and veterinary medicine for dogs and exotic pets, I also do internal medicine and radiology. Read more about me in the "About Us" section. Do dogs need salt?When feeding dogs raw natural food, the question often arises about the need to add salt. Let's look into this issue. On the one hand, no one salts canine food in nature and they do not go to lickers, unlike herbivores. On the other hand, carnivores eat their prey whole, and these are mainly small rodents, including organs and blood. The salty taste of blood is due to NaCl or table salt. This way they get some salt. Salt consists of two elements - sodium and chlorine. Na+ ions are directly involved in the conduction of nerve impulses and other biochemical reactions. Sodium helps maintain osmotic pressure in cells and is involved in the transport of amino acids, glucose, organic and inorganic particles across cell membranes. With a lack of sodium, calcium is poorly absorbed; moreover, it is removed from the bones and enters the blood. One of the reasons for the development of rickets-like conditions is the lack of salt in the diet. Chlorine is also necessary for animals. For example, it is involved in the formation of hydrochloric acid, the main component of gastric juice. How is blood distributed in the body of prey? The bloodstream (vessels) contains about 56% of all blood. Part of the blood does not participate in the general blood flow and is deposited in the liver 20%, in the spleen - 16% and in the subcutaneous tissue contains up to 10% of the total blood volume. From the depot, blood enters the general circulation only under certain conditions. Partially, the need for blood and the salt dissolved in it can be covered by giving these organs to your dog. But what remains is “unreceived” blood from the victim’s body. And before going on sale, the carcass is bled, some of the blood leaves these organs and tissues. How much salt will a dog get if he eats, say, a rabbit or a bird? This can be calculated by knowing the total amount of blood in the potential prey. I found the following data: “The average blood volume: horse 9.8%, cattle 8.2, small cattle 8.2, tallow type pigs 4.6, meat type pigs 7, chickens 8.5, rabbits 5.4, dogs – 6.8, cats 5%. In humans, blood volume is about 7% of body weight.” That is, the average carcass of a conventional prey contains about 8% blood. Let our “prey” weigh 1 kg. It will contain 80 ml of blood. The salt content in the blood is 0.9% (isotonic solution). Thus, such “prey” contains 0.72 grams of pure salt. At the same time, about 46% of the blood is contained in the organs (before the carcass is bled). 0.38 grams remain in the blood. Thus, if a dog weighing 35 kg eats 1 kg of natural products per day, simulating the carcass of a conditional prey, along with organs and subcutaneous tissue, it needs to add 0.5 g of salt per day, compensating for the lack of blood. If a dog does not eat organs (liver, spleen), it needs about 0.8 grams of salt per day. Salt intake is also not constant for most dogs. Today there is production, tomorrow there is no production. Therefore, the addition of salt can be periodic. It’s a good idea to remember that many foods contain salt. For example, cottage cheese and other dairy products have a salty taste. Even vegetables contain salt, but in small quantities. Various delicacies, sauerkraut are also salty. This is worth considering when adding salt to your dog's food. For example, an average herring with entrails (300 grams) contains about 10 grams of salt. A piece of herring, the size of 1/10 of a carcass without entrails, will contain about 0.5 grams of salt. In practice, you can compensate for the lack of salt by adding a little salt to your food. It is quite easy to determine what salinity should be - the same salinity as blood or an isotonic solution of sodium chloride 0.9%. If the diet contains organs, then the dog needs a little less salt. If the dog regularly receives a piece of herring or rinsed from excess salt sauerkraut, feeds on animal carcasses and receives blood, then there is no need to add salt to food. A great way to offer salt to your dog without overdoing it is to place two bowls of water - one with regular fresh water, the other with lightly salted water (approximately 9 g of salt per 1 liter of water). The dog will be able to choose what kind of water to drink - salted or regular. The method is only suitable for dogs on a natural raw diet. “Sushechniki” get salt from feed. Many dog lovers still argue on this topic and cannot find a clear answer. Why is that? Now let's look at all the facts for and against. ArgumentsIn one of the books there is a quote from an experienced veterinarian and scientist, where he talks about an interesting case. The dog was taken to the veterinarian with a serious illness - rickets. The interesting thing is that the treatment did not help. The doctors, more than one, almost carried the dog in their arms and could not figure out what was going wrong. As a result, it turned out that serious disorders of the musculoskeletal system were the result of a lack of ordinary salt in the animal’s body. Let's look at the benefits of salt. Kitchen salt has a simple formula – NaCl. It can be seen that it consists of two chemical elements, the presence of which plays an important role in the animal’s body. Sodium takes part in the processes of excitation of all cells of the body. With its help, most useful substances - amino acids, glucose, etc. - enter or leave the cell. With a lack of Sodium, Calcium is absorbed very poorly, which is why skeletal problems arise. Chlorine, together with Potassium, takes part in the processes of inhibition of the nervous system. This element is part of the gastric juice, and also activates most of the enzymes with which proteins are poisoned. Another point of view is that salt should not be given to dogs under any circumstances. And this is also correct. If you overdo it, your pet may eventually develop stones in the urinary tract and cystitis. ConclusionIt is possible and necessary to give salt to your dog, but you need to carefully monitor the amount of salt consumed. How to create a diet?Those dog lovers who are against salt have a good argument: wild animals don’t eat it and are healthy, so pets don’t need it either. Now let’s remember how dogs eat in nature: they catch food for themselves - birds, rodents, hares, etc. Their natural source of salt is animal blood. Those dogs that eat food also receive enough salt, since purchased food already contains all the substances that are useful and necessary for pets. Animals that are fed natural meat do not receive a sufficient dose of salt, since there is no blood in the raw carcass. Many dog owners notice that dogs eat salted food much more readily. So you can add salt to your food. When producing food, the dose of salt is calculated as follows: per kilogram of a puppy - 530 mg, for an adult dog - 22 mg. Some may think this is quite a lot. A very simple way to find out whether your animal has enough salt or not: you need to put two bowls of water. Salt one, leave the other alone. This may also be a solution for those who are afraid of adding salt to their pet’s food. Porridge in a dog’s diet should take up from 25 to 40%. Porridge is a source of carbohydrates and fiber. For a complete diet, the dog must eat porridge. Your pet will certainly appreciate your concern for its health with a delicious, varied menu. Do you want to know which ones you can give and which ones you can’t? Get cool recipes for dishes and characteristics of each of them? Or do you need to know the proportions of porridge and meat in a dish? All this is in our article, read it quickly! Which ones are useful?Let's figure out which cereal is best for the daily diet of large and small breeds. Be sure to consult your breeder or veterinarian about his proper nutrition. Large breeds can eat almost any grain without harm to their health(for example, which adapts to any diet). If you have a small dog or one that has digestive problems or some health problems (for example, decorative, these breeds have a long path of genetic mutations behind them), then you need to strictly and carefully select porridges. The choice is often limited to buckwheat and then in small quantities. If an allergy begins (, itchy skin), then the cereal component is excluded. BuckwheatThe most healthy porridge. It contains many microelements, vegetable proteins, B vitamins, and rutin. The iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium contained in porridges have a beneficial effect on circulatory system animal. Normalizes the nervous system, helps strengthen the skeleton. Buckwheat helps fight excess weight. For dogs, buckwheat porridge is prepared without salt and spices; the water ratio should be 2:1. How to cook buckwheat porridge correctly? Pour in the cereal cold water overnight, and in the morning drain the settled husks. For cooking, take 1 part buckwheat to 2 parts water. The porridge is cooked for 15 minutes, after which it is infused in a saucepan. You can add vegetable oil to a warm dish if the porridge is cooked in water or vegetable broth. RiceRice is rich in vitamins E and a whole group of vitamin B. Porridge is rich in microelements such as zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Rice porridge contributes to the smooth functioning of the heart, bones, blood vessels, genitourinary system. The fight against aging also occurs due to the nutritional properties of rice. Brown rice is considered the healthiest because of the shell, which is very beneficial for the dog. Cook the rice so that it remains crumbly. Only if the dog is poisoned, it is necessary to give rice mucus and use it to treat diarrhea, remove toxins, and for vomiting. How to cook rice? Rice should be thoroughly rinsed with cold water, especially if you are cooking polished rice. Then the prepared rice is poured into boiling water and cooked for 30-35 minutes. Then the porridge is covered and infused. Broth, vegetables, meat are added to the finished dish. Rice porridge you can add a little salt and add a spoon vegetable oil to avoid sticking. WheatAn ambiguous product, because... Digested much worse than other cereals. Therefore, wheat porridge is rarely used and only as a “rag” for the dog’s intestines. Giving wheat porridge Only allowed for adult dogs and rarely. The main thing is to boil it thoroughly for up to 1 hour, so that the grains are boiled until smooth, and then leave it under a closed lid to infuse. The porridge is rich in vitamins such as PP, C, E, A, B. The dog’s diet will be rich in potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, magnesium and other minerals if wheat porridge is used for food. OatmealIs it useful? oatmeal dogs? Oats contain proteins, fats, amino acids and iron salts, and are also cheap. But it is worth noting that the high protein content can cause stomach upset in the dog. It is better to choose flakes that are not too refined, because. they are too high in calories. The porridge is prepared exclusively in water, even rather steamed, without salt and spices, in order to preserve everything minerals. You can add a small amount of olive oil. Feed oatmeal no more than once a week. Recipes: how to cook?We figured out what grains to cook porridge from. Let's move on to how to actually prepare tasty and healthy porridge: With vegetables
Pour water into the pan and throw in the chicken frames or heads. As soon as the water boils, add chopped carrots, potatoes and maybe a little cabbage. It boils a little - add the cereal. If the dog likes it, you can add fresh herbs. As you know, greens are a whole bunch of vitamins. Place diced vegetables into the prepared warm wheat porridge. A wonderful summer meal for your pet is ready. Important! Do not store this dish, but serve it freshly prepared so that the vegetables do not drain and retain all the vitamins. |
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