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My dog ate salt. Is it dangerous? What are the signs and what to do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My 20ish lb dog ate some salt from an open packet on the sidewalk during our walk. Is this cause for concern?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on September 2nd, 2016

No she/he should be fine if it was just salt. It takes a lot of salt ingestion to cause any immediate concerns in pets (salt intoxication). So if it was only a small amount you don't have anything to worry about.

Just make sure to offer her/him some water and access to water at all times, so if she/he needs to they can rebalance their body by diluting out the salt. Also I would refrain from giving him/her any people foods that are high in salt for the next 24 hrs, only regular dog food.

If by chance your pet did ingest a large amount of salt then watch out for signs of trouble which include ataxia (drunken walk), panting, mental dullness, and vomiting. If seen then it is best to take him/her to your vet immediately for treatment.

6Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA
Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer
I'm assuming that you mean a normal, single-serve salt packet like you might get from a fast food restaurant to sprinkle on fries - if this is the case, then I wouldn't worry. These packets usually contain only about 0.5 grams of salt each, which would not be enough to cause any problems.
6Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on June 13th, 2018
Hello. It is sometimes very difficult to ascertain all nutritional information, especially with pet treats. Generally, a lot of salt is not added to processed dog foods or treats as pets do not crave salt like we do. All you would need to do is mix some extra water into his food for the next day or so. Encourage drinking with no salt added broth, but I would not be too concerned. Salt toxicity is a very rare condition, & a one-time overindulgence on a salty treat would not harm the body in the long run. Yana will be just fine. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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