Nothing is more disheartening than knowing that your dog’s diet is what is causing her all those health problems. The effects of too much sodium in human food are well known. But how about your dog? High sodium has been established to cause various health complications in dogs. This has led to an increased advocacy of low sodium dry dog food to prevent these issues.
Here is a detailed guide to low sodium dog food to always keep your dog safe.
Why Should You Feed Your Dog Low Sodium Dog Food?
It is a well-established fact that high sodium is harmful to us humans. Rather than reducing it, we continue to take more of it in the form of junk food. Of late we have been doing the same to our dogs by feeding them food high in sodium.
Feeding your dog low sodium dog food prevents various health complications. You may not be aware, but too much sodium has even been credited with the killing of a number of dogs. It might not be fed at once, but the amount can accumulate gradually until it reaches dangerous levels.
- Low sodium dry dog food is a necessity for dogs who have heart problems such as congestive heart failure. If the amount of sodium in the dog’s body becomes too much, the situation could worsen as the hearts becomes more incapable of pumping blood.
- Kidney/liver problems are not a reserve of humans only. Dogs too get these complications and are worsened by high sodium intake. The kidney becomes incapacitated in eliminating the excess salts. Low sodium dry dog food ensures that the kidneys do not work overtime to deal with the salt.
- Too much salt dehydrates your dog. You might be wondering why she has such an insatiable appetite for water. Well, the culprit is the sodium in the dry food you are feeding her on.
How Much Sodium Is Too Much?
Advising dog owners on feeding their dogs on low sodium foods is a little open-ended. Don’t you think so? How much sodium is too much or too low then? This is the first question that pops up when this dog food and sodium issue is brought up.
The right amount of salt for your dog is a little contentious. The Association of America Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) does not even specify the maximum acceptable levels of sodium in your dog’s food. There is only a minimum level specified not only for dry dog food, even any low sodium canned dog food is not exempted from these specifications.
Here are some of the guidelines you can use per 100 calories.
- If your dog has no restrictions on sodium uptake, then the food should have at least 0.5% of sodium. This translates to more than 100mg of sodium/100kCal.
- For mild sodium restriction of sodium uptake, the low sodium canned dog food should contain at between 0.35% and 0.5% of sodium. This is about 80 to 100mg/100kCal.
- Moderate sodium consumption dogs should only be given foods containing between 0.1% and 0.35% of sodium (50-80mg/100kCal)
- Severe sodium restriction dogs should be fed food that has less than 0.1% sodium. This is less than 50mg/100kCal.
The National Research Council of the National Academies provides a much clearer way forward. It states that for a 33-pound dog who uses about 1000 calories in a day, the amount of sodium consumed should not exceed 2000 mg/day. These figures are kind of vague and do not provide a much clearer stipulated value.
Low sodium dog food brands
When it comes to the dog food brands low in sodium, the foods in the list may not be the most popular. But in this case, popularity may not be what you need. Some of the food brands have been made particularly for dogs with conditions that require low sodium uptakes.
1. Honest Kitchen Human Grade Dehydrated
This dry dog food is made for a dehydrated dog. It has human grade recipes. This ensures that your dog stays healthy and hydrated. High sodium intake would work against the growth of your beloved dog.
2. Hill's Prescription Diet h/d Cardiac Health Canned Dog Food
Hill’s Prescription is one of the low sodium canned dog foods you can buy for your dog. It is one of the low sodium dog food brands that facilitates cardiac muscle metabolism. The low sodium contained in it also normalizes the blood pressure of your dog.
3. Hill's Prescription Diet h/d Cardiac Health Dry
This is yet another low sodium dog food brands from Hill’s Prescription. This low sodium dry dog food contains high taurine levels to support the cardiac muscle metabolism in your dog. Vitamin B is also included in the recipe for the replenishment of those lost as she receives diuretics.
4. ROYAL CANIN Canine Early Cardiac Dry
This dry dog food from Royal Canin could be among the best low sodium dog food. Nutrients that help boost healthy cardiac metabolism are included in the recipe used in its formulation. The sodium levels have been moderated for a reduced heart workload in your dog.
5. NF Kidney Function Dry Dog Food
Here is another dry dog food that falls under the category of best low sodium dog food. This food enables an efficient kidney functionality in your dog.
No Sodium Or Low Sodium?
If sodium is so contentious, should you feed it to your dog in the first place? Sodium is a good mineral for your dog and should not be eliminated. It maintains fluid balance in the body and keeps your dog’s cells from swelling or dilating. The best low sodium dog food should just contain the right amount that your dog needs for survival
Keep Your Dog’s Sodium Intake Controlled
Low sodium dry dog food is essential for the well-being of your dog. They facilitate healthy cardiac muscle metabolisms, preventing heart overloads in the process. Low sodium is also good for the kidneys, and they do not have to work overtime to eliminate the extra sodium dog food.
Last Updated on 26/12/2023 by Karen Snow
Hi! I’m Karen and a certified dog lover. As a freelance writer and blogger, I do my best to squeeze in some time with my dogs, learning more about the way they act and how I can make sure that they continue to stay well-cared for by yours truly.
My dogs have helped me through a lot, and this is my way of giving back to them! Besides animals, I also love to travel and cook, having explored my country’s restaurants and unique places. Follow me as I show you all the amazing tips and bits of information I learn along the way about our furry friends!