How much salt?

[talamasca]

We're just about to add 325mg KBr to Logan's meds (along with 180mg PB) as he's still cluster fitting and his liver results came back raised, so I know we need to watch his salt intake, but I couldn't find what level/amount of salt is acceptable - does anyone know?

We currently feed him Arden Grange Sensitive Ocean White Fish and Potato as he had itchy skin and a sensitive stomach when he was young and we haven't changed it since and it contains 0.5mg sodium selenite per kg.

ETA: I went to Pet Shop and looked at other foods and the sodium levels were anywhere between 0.15 and 0.30mg/kg so our food would seem to be high! Will it matter? Should we look to change his food, which would be difficult since we have about 45kg left!?

Also, can we still give him treats? May be once a week we give him a bit of cheese or crisps or oven chips when we do some training with him.

[beaglemum]

Hi talamasca,

My boy Saxon is on Kbr as well (along with Pb and Zonisamide plus Keppra when he actually has a cluster) and has been for a couple of years. The most important thing about salt in diet, from my experience, is to keep it the same. Don't go changing his brand of food, without making sure the salt content is the same as the old food. Doesn't matter so much about current diet if you are happy with it, just don't change it. I wouldn't recommend trying to do home cooked meals, etc unless you can guarantee keeping the salt level consistent.

As you are probably already aware, Kbr takes a long time to reach therapeutic levels in the blood, so a missed dose, or so isn't a big deal (although I am not recommending it), once Logan is stable. However, in my experience with Saxon, side effects appeared within a few days of going on to Kbr and reoccur if the salt content in the diet changes, & disappear just as fast, when Saxon went back on his main diet. (This occurred when he had a mild gastro upset and was on a boiled rice/chicken diet for the best part of a week.)

Good luck.

[seebr5640]

Hi talamasca,

Once the potassium bromide is added, you don't need to worry if the current food has too much or too less salt, just don't change it, unless you have to because of allergies or something else.

Here's a link on this post from Dr. Ned Patterson in regards to potassium bromide and salt levels. I hope it helps.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=404&hilit=salt+level

Barb & Sampson

[talamasca]

Hi, that's great to know thanks beaglemum and Barb

So far, Logie hasn't had any side effects which is great, but that could be cos it's a relatively small dose and we won't be changing his diet since his current one works well for him, and we are making sure we put the cat's food well out of his way when we aren't around!