Have you ever heard of something called salt toxicity? Pigs and salt do not go together well. The pig’s body does not regulate salt/sodium well. Too much salt can cause huge problems. What happens when a pig has too much salt? Too much salt causes a pig to become very thirsty so they drink as much water as they have access to. This could be gallons and gallons of water. When they drink all of this water their body is not able to process it fast enough so they will have an electrolyte imbalance. Pigs have a very delicate electrolyte balance, so when it gets thrown off it can cause a lot of neurological issues. 

How does salt toxicity happen? 

The first way is through diet. Processed human foods have high amounts of salt in it. Other foods that have high amounts of salt are, dog food, cat food, and chicken food. When a pig finds these foods they are not able to just eat a piece or two. They will continue to eat until their body can’t physically fit anymore food in. Your pig will become excessively thirsty for hours and hours after they are very full so they will continue to drink. After they drink  to try to quench the thirst they will develop neurological symptoms such as brain swelling and seizures. Be very careful about how you are storing your animal feed.  

The second way, and most common is, dehydration. If you live somewhere that is a very warm and humid climate, salt toxicity is a major concern. When a pig gets overheated they will drink as much water as you give them access to, so it is easy to develop an electrolyte imbalance. 

What are some of the symptoms of salt toxicity? 

• Increased thirst
• Nausea and vomiting
• No appetite 
• Diarrhea
• Tremors
• Loss of coordination
• Acting blind
• Seizures
• Fever
• Coma
• Death
• Brain damage
• Standing with head against the wall
• Constant urination

What do we do if our pig has salt toxicity? Time is crucial. It’s very important to get them into the vet because the vet will be able to relieve some of the excess salt in their body and slowly rehydrate and balance the electrolytes. It is important that you do not give extra water at this point even if your pig is extremely thirsty. 

If you can’t get to the vet what do you do? Give very very small amounts of water that will not satisfy them but give them enough just to wet their whistle, every 20-30 minutes until they no longer want water. When it seems like they don’t care about the small amount of water being offered, wait about an hour and give them a bowl of fresh water. 

We need to keep salty foods away from our pigs. This is any food that will make them excessively thirsty. Make sure that your pig has access to the appropriate amount of water for them, especially if they are outside.

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