A popular home accessory takes a dangerous turn as pet owners discover the hidden risks posed by Himalayan salt lamps.
Himalayan salt lamps have gained immense popularity as home decorations in recent times. While they’re believed to offer various benefits, such as ionizing the surrounding air, improving air quality, and aiding in sleep, experts have issued a cautionary note to pet owners. These stylish lamps might not be the best choice for households with cherished pets, as they could pose a serious danger.
Maddie Smith, a concerned pet owner, noticed peculiar behavior in her cat, Ruby, after introducing a Himalayan salt lamp to her home. The morning after using the lamp, Maddie found Ruby with her head tilted at an odd angle, a posture she had never exhibited before.
“We initially thought this was just because she was so cold,” wrote Smith in a now-viral Facebook post, “so we got her nice and toasty and left for work as usual.”
Unbeknownst to Maddie, Ruby was actually suffering from a neurological issue. After returning from work to find Ruby’s condition deteriorating, Maddie rushed her to the vet. The discovery that Himalayan salt lamps could pose a threat to pets left her in shock.
“The vets were extremely concerned for her and could see she definitely had neurological problems because she simply could not walk properly, could not hear or see, couldn’t even eat or drink properly because she couldn’t function [with] her tongue,” recounted Smith on Facebook. “Her basic senses and abilities were GONE in 12 hours. She was so helpless.”
Blood tests revealed abnormally high levels of sodium chloride in Ruby’s bloodstream. Despite no changes in her diet, Maddie realized the only recent alteration in their home environment was the introduction of the Himalayan salt lamp.
Ruby had licked the salt lamp, unintentionally consuming hazardous amounts of sodium, which led to her brain swelling and subsequent neurological issues.
Thankfully, Ruby’s vet acted quickly, placing her on intravenous fluids and a potassium flush. After her levels returned to normal, Ruby was discharged from the animal hospital and reunited with her owner.
First Vets shared Ruby’s story on Facebook, emphasizing, “Ruby’s case simply highlights … that for dogs and cats, sometimes the most innocuous sources of sodium chloride can cause issues if the particular animal is drawn to it.” They further cited the example of dogs ingesting homemade playdough in large enough quantities to reach toxic levels of sodium chloride for their size.
Source: AWM