Posted: 1/3/2008 12:49:35 PM EDT
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The other day someone told me that he puts salt in his dogs water to keep it from freezing. Is it harmful for the dog to drink salt water? Thanks. PS. Spelling Nazi's, don't I need a apostrophe thingy on "dogs"? |
Most mammals can stand a certain level of salinity in drinking water....I'm not sure what the threshold is for dogs. But generally what is referred to as "salt" water isn't a good idea for any mammal to drink. The problem is that the body can only process so much salt, and it does this by taking in water. If you take in water that is loaded with salt you rapidly build an excess and it can kill you. |
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This reminds me, I was wondering recently if it's ok for dogs to swim in the ocean? We go to the ocean every summer (except for this past summer we didn't have time) and we have a lab now and I was wondering if it would be bad for his skin or fur to be in the salt water a lot, he will swim allllllllll day. Sorry to hi-jack, just wondering, thanks! |
Mine swims in the ocean daily. As long as he is rinsed off when we are through there is no itching. |
It will not hurt him. It will eliminate fleas, though... I hear salt water dissolves their shells. I would at least rinse him off with fresh water after he's done swimming, though. |
I see you're from CA.
"FBI Arrests All Eskimos In Alaska For Keeping Sled Dogs Outside". Film at 11.  If the dog is eating a normal diet, putting salt in its water is unnecessary and likely harmful. |
Idiot. |
.......never seen a husky freeze to death recently though.
I love the sarcasm in this place. (you were funnin weren't you?) |
OMFG! An animal in a natural environment! |
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I wouldn't do it. Salt dehydrates the body, drinking salt water is just going to keep him constantly thirsty. A previous dog I had, got severely sick and was in the hospital for a week, because he ingested too much saltwater, but it was ocean water. This was about twenty years ago and I believe he developed a kidney infection or something of the sort. The vet had said it was caused by the salt content of the water and not any organisms within the sea water. |
| Now, putting a SMALL amount of salt in the drinking water is OK - in fact, soldiers usually put a teaspoon or a half of salt in canteens to keep the sodium ions in the body at a safe level. But any more than just a little wouldn't be good, and I doubt such a small amount of salt would lower the freezing point very much. |
That is only done if they aren't eating. Food, especially what is available to soldiers, has more than enough salt that you would not need any added to your water. You're thinking of long marches where they will drink large quantities of water but eat no food. In such a situation you can 'wash out' a lot of sodium and get very hyponatremic. I've treated schizophrenics who have done this. It's called psychogenic polydipsia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychogenic_polydipsia |
Yeah, that was a given. Long times spent out in the desert, i.e. a battle or something where there is no time to eat. |
if a dog stays outside all the time, then it is conditioned to that temperature and will grow enough fur. Given shelter from the elements and enough food, dogs can live outside in anywhere in America outside of ALaska during the winter. ETA and Alaska would probably be fine for any dogs that grow a heavy coat naturally. |
If it were "salt for the dogs' water," then "dogs' " would be correct, but he said "salt water," so then it's just "dogs." |
Do you think dogs can't handle weather below 32 degrees??? Did you really think the ENTIRE northern half of America brings their dogs inside in the winter??? Think about it man. 
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