Feeding Raw

[sheena]

I feed my girl Vets All Natural plus raw meat (kangaroo, lamb or beef) + meaty raw bones. About once a week she gets sardines with it & every few days a whole raw egg. I have often wondered if she needs salt in her diet as feeding her what I do, means absolutely no salt in her diet.

[annette.tas]

My guess would be that there are natural salts in the meats she is eating?? I'm sure more knowledgable peopel can comment though

[noisymina]

I've never seen any recommendations for adding salt to a dog's diet.

And I've seen a lot of recommendations in the last 6 years here.

Edit to say 6 years, not 5. LOL

Edited October 27, 2010 by noisymina

[persephone]

My guess is that there is sufficient salt in blood etc for their needs.

[dancinbcs]

Most animals need salt and I add some to my dogs raw diet, especially if they start licking me a lot. Dogs sometimes lick to get the salt from your skin. They also need it more in hot weather than in cold.

[sheena]

Most animals need salt and I add some to my dogs raw diet, especially if they start licking me a lot. Dogs sometimes lick to get the salt from your skin. They also need it more in hot weather than in cold.

Yeah...that's what I thought. So I think I might start adding just a little to her RAW mix, especially in hot weather. We need salt, so I can't see why a dog wouldn't. If I were to feed her a commercial kibble it would have added salt in the ingredients. Maybe I will ask the vet next time we go in for our needles.

[Erny]

Yeah...that's what I thought. So I think I might start adding just a little to her RAW mix, especially in hot weather. We need salt, so I can't see why a dog wouldn't. If I were to feed her a commercial kibble it would have added salt in the ingredients. Maybe I will ask the vet next time we go in for our needles.

I don't know much about the salt requirements of dogs, but I think you'd be better to provide your dog with a salt lick (can purchase these from a horse produce store) that your dog may go to when needed (just as the horses do) rather than YOU adding the salt to your dog's diet.

In this way, your dog will be able to self supplement rather than you assuming your dog is receiving the right amount of salt.

Edited October 28, 2010 by Erny

[felix]

Very interesting question.

I always thought that dogs don't need salt added to their food.

However, my dog sometimes drink from the pool, which is a salt-water one. It horiffied me because I didn't know how to teach him not to do that. It is possible that he just needs salt. He is also excessive licker. Hmm.

I will try to give him a little salt with food and see if it changes anything.

Edited October 28, 2010 by felix

[persephone]

Dogs, unlike horses and humans do not sweat ..except a small amount from their pads. I presumed this is why they have no need of any added salt...pigs are the same- they do not sweat, and adding salt is not recommended.

[felix]

Dogs, unlike horses and humans do not sweat ..except a small amount from their pads. I presumed this is why they have no need of any added salt...pigs are the same- they do not sweat, and adding salt is not recommended.

That was my belief too. I was, and still am, confused with drinking from the pool thing.

On the second note, I know that pigs don't sweat, but where the hell is 'sweating like a pig' coming from?

Edited October 28, 2010 by felix

[persephone]

where the hell is 'sweating like a pig' coming from?

No idea! All I can think of is when the carcase is scalded to remove hair ?

[Staranais]

Dog kidneys are more powerful that human ones so they can drink reasonably salty water & not get dehydrated as we do - perhaps your dog was after the water, rather than the salt, from the salty pool Felix?

Dogs excrete a lot of sodium from their kidneys, like we do. I'm not sure if the amount in a typical raw diet would always cover it or not, but I've never heard a of a dog being low in salt due to being fed a low salt diet. Low salt in dogs is most commonly from chronic vomiting, diarrhoea, renal problems, etc.

[sheena]

Interesting....I have always wondered if dogs are'nt meant to have salt then why do they add it to commercial kibble-type products. Maybe for flavour I also add to her raw, Livamol & joint formula, but never of these contain any salt either.

I think I would be a bit reluctant to put out a salt block for her as she might just like the salt & overdose. The last Border Collie (RIP) we had use to be contantly eating the dirt underneath where we had fertilised plants. This one does lick us a lot, but I thought she was just being friendly.

My daughter's dog used to consume copius amount of salt water when we'd take her to the beach, then vomit it all

back up

She died at the age of four of a suspected heart attack.

Edited October 28, 2010 by sheena

[Staranais]

Interesting....I have always wondered if dogs are'nt meant to have salt then why do they add it to commercial kibble-type products. Maybe for flavour I also add to her raw, Livamol & joint formula, but never of these contain any salt either.

Dogs do need some salt, but I don't think they need as much of it as is in a lot of commercial foods. Salt makes things taste good. Apparently the number one predictor of whether your average owner will buy a pet food again is how palatable the pet finds it (fluffy likes it, it must be good!) So lots of pet food companies spend lots of money trying to design the most palatable pet food possible - which means flavourings, salt, sugar (!), and fat sprayed on the outside of the kibble after baking.

Just like human processed foods I guess - they don't put all that salt and sugar in the baked beans because it's healthy, they do it so we buy their brand of baked beans.

[felix]

Dog kidneys are more powerful that human ones so they can drink reasonably salty water & not get dehydrated as we do - perhaps your dog was after the water, rather than the salt, from the salty pool Felix?

Dogs excrete a lot of sodium from their kidneys, like we do. I'm not sure if the amount in a typical raw diet would always cover it or not, but I've never heard a of a dog being low in salt due to being fed a low salt diet. Low salt in dogs is most commonly from chronic vomiting, diarrhoea, renal problems, etc.

Well, the confusing thing is that there are two bowls with fresh water at his disposal at any time. He only drinks from the pool ocassionaly.

But, he likes to keep me confused like that. Often, he hides things around so we can't find them. Bloody poodles, too smart for their own good.