are himalayan salt lamps dangerous to cats

Dangers Of Salt Lamps and Cats

Himalayan rock salts can be just as toxic for cats as regular table salt is. Salt lamps are toxic to cats because they contain high levels of sodium.

Sodium (which, when combined with chloride, makes “salt” i. e. , NaCl) is one of the body’s “electrolytes” and a necessary mineral in our pets’ diets. Sodium regulates the fluid in the blood (blood volume) and surrounding cells, among other bodily functions, including muscle and nerve function. Excessive or insufficient consumption of salt can lead to major health issues.

Pets should gradually recover from their symptoms with aggressive therapy that includes intravenous fluids, potassium supplementation, and continuous electrolyte monitoring.

Even though salt lamps might be good for your health, think about your pets and put the lamp somewhere safe! You don’t have to give up your salt lamp, but if you’ve noticed your pet licking it repeatedly, it’s time to move it somewhere hard to reach and tell your veterinary healthcare team about it!

When the body contains excessive amounts of salt, the kidneys are unable to eliminate the extra sodium through urine, which causes the blood volume to return to normal. This condition is known as salt toxicity. Fluid is drawn out of cells and tissues as blood sodium levels rise, increasing blood volume and leading to dysfunction of the muscles and nerves. The brain is extremely sensitive to variations in blood sodium levels, so the first symptoms of salt toxicity are typically neurological in nature. These include altered mental status, vertigo, nausea, blurred vision, and seizures.

A casual lick from a cat or dog on a salt lamp is probably not going to hurt them, but if they become addicted to the salt, as humans do to potato chips, that’s when issues can occur. If your pet enjoys eating salt, he might grow “addicted” to it and keep going back, which could result in salt toxicity.

Take your cat to a nearby veterinarian right away if you think it may have eaten too much salt, or contact the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 (there is a $49 fee per incident). If you have a salt lamp, make sure you keep it out of your cats’ and dogs’ reach in the interim and store it securely when not in use.

By EMMA LORD January 13 Having a cat means that you only want the best for your animal companion, even though they don’t always know how to return the favor. Although you take many precautions to keep your cat safe on a daily basis, some risks are more subtle than others. For example, you might not be aware that salt lamps are harmful to cats for a very specific reason, and cat owners should exercise extreme caution when bringing their pets into a home where cats are present.

For cats, the usual recommended daily intake of salt is 16 7 mg is a quantity that a determined cat could easily out-lick on a salt lamp. Other household items to watch out for are paintballs, table salts, and play-dough.

“I’ve noticed my boy being very taken by one. He frequently lounges by it,” a worried cat owner posted in a forum on The Cat Site. But he’s licking it now, which is something I didn’t anticipate. It’s absurd, but I never would have imagined that he would act in this way. it’s salt, and it’s toxic to cats!”.

SOURCE: Pexels And that toxicity is not at all a small matter. According to the Pet Poison Helpline, “Salt poisoning in dogs and cats results in clinical signs of vomiting, diarrhea, inappetance, lethargy, walking drunk, abnormal fluid accumulation within the body, excessive thirst or urination, potential injury to the kidneys, tremors, seizures, coma, and even death when untreated.”

FAQ

Can Himalayan salt lamps hurt cats?

There have been some case reports of cats getting hypernatraemia, or salt poisoning, from licking Himalayan salt lamps. Hypernatraemia is a very dangerous condition with a high mortality rate, and a cat can easily get a fatal dose of salt from licking a Himalayan salt lamp.

Are Himalayan salt lamps pet friendly?

Danger to pets: salt toxicity Himalayan salt lamps may be dangerous for the pets in your home, because both dogs and cats can be harmed by ingesting too much salt.

Are salt lamps toxic?

How you plan on using the salt lamp determines what these hazards are, but for the most part, a salt lamp hazard isn’t usually of the fatal kind. (Unless one of your pets lick the salt off!) Salt lamps are NOT toxic by nature in any way whatsoever.

Can cats lick salt?

Currier says that licking some salt or having food with a few sprinkles probably won’t cause a problem. However, sudden exposure to a lot of salt at once, or a high-salt food like potato chips or pickles, can be very serious. “Anything over one gram of salt per two pounds of body weight is cause for concern,” he warns.