Vets warn how dangerous Himalayan salt lamps can be for cats

If a load of Himalayan salt lamps next to your cacti and cat is part of your Instagram aesthetic, it’s time to rethink.

Vets have issued a warning to all cat owners about the dangers of Himalayan salt lamps – those trendy bits of pink rock people put candles and lightbulbs inside – for our feline pals.

Those large lumps of rock are incredibly tempting for cats to lick, which can lead to sodium poisoning, which can cause pain, vomiting, seizures, and even death.

Maddie Smith, from New Zealand, experienced the awful consequences.

She woke up last Wednesday to find her cat, Ruby ‘walking really strangely’ and holding her head in an odd position.

The family assumed Ruby might just be cold, so got her nice and toasty and left for work as usual. When they returned home, Ruby’s condition had deteriorated drastically.

Ruby couldn’t hear, see, or walk properly. She was unable to eat or drink as she couldn’t control her tongue.

Vets at Rose Avenue Vet Hospital ran tests and discovered that Ruby had extremely high sodium levels in her blood. She was experiencing salt poisoning, which had caused her brain to swell and led to neurological problems.

It turned out that Ruby had been licking her owners’ salt lamp. If she hadn’t been taken into the vets in time, she would have likely died.

Thankfully, vets were able to treat Ruby with an IV to get her blood back to normal levels of sodium and chloride. After a few days her neurological signs recovered and she was ready to return home.

The vets have shared Ruby’s story as a warning to all pet owners to keep Himalayan salt lamps far out of their animals’ reach.

First Vets said: ‘In general, salt poisoning in dogs and cats is usually accidental, with the most common scenario involving dogs ingesting homemade playdough!

‘The neurological signs seen in salt poisoning cases occur due to swelling in the brain that results from disruption in the body’s electrolyte levels.’

Maddie added: ‘Salt poisoning is EXTREMELY deadly to animals and she is basically a miracle to still be here now.

‘These salt lamps are addictive to animals, and if they get a taste it becomes just like potato chips are to us!

‘So please please keep these out of reach from your fur babies. Ruby still has a long road to recovery but we are so glad she’s still here with us, with the right nutrition and hydration we should have her back to normal.

‘Ruby wouldn’t be here today without the help of First Vets who have helped her with every hurdle we have faced with our Ruby the past 11 months we have had her. She’s a fighter that’s for sure!

‘Hopefully sharing this might help educate others on just how deadly these lamps can be if the salt is ingested. I know mine’s not staying in our house that’s for sure.’

Let this be a warning to us all about just how dangerous a seemingly innocent household possession can be.

If you have a Himalayan salt lamp, keep it on a high shelf out of your pet’s reach, and don’t leave it unattended.

Make sure you don’t leave any other sources of salt out and available for your pet to consume, and avoid giving them salty snacks – no matter how cute they may look when they ask for some of your chips.

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