If your dog has been diagnosed with a heart condition or other specific medical condition, you may have found yourself searching for a low sodium diet for them. It can be difficult and confusing to navigate through dog foods to find something low in sodium, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for.
To help you find a starting point to discuss with your vet, we’ve put together reviews of our favorite reduced-sodium dog foods. Always discuss dietary changes with your vet before transitioning your dog to a new diet if your dog has any medical condition.
A Glance at Our Top Picks (2023 Update)
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Dog Food
Formulated for dogs with early-stage heart disease
Cardiac protection blend of amino acids and omega fatty acids
High in vitamin E to reduce oxidative stress
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Best Value
Iams Adult Minichunks Dog Food
Best value
Ideal kibble size for dogs of any size
Highly palatable
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JustFoodForDogs Turkey Dog Food
Low in sodium
Contains whole grains and is a good source of fiber
Ready-to-serve
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Vet’s Choice
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach
Vet’s pick
Good option for dogs with digestive and skin sensitivities
Lacks common allergen proteins
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Hill’s Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Dog Food
Contains whole grains
Helps your dog maintain muscle mass during weight loss
Packed with vitamins and minerals
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The 7 Best Low Sodium Dog Foods
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Cardiocare is our top pick for overall best low sodium dog food. This prescription-only dog food is formulated with dogs with early-stage heart disease in mind. It is a moderate sodium diet that contains a cardiac protection blend of amino acids and omega fatty acids to support cardiac health, as well as skin, coat, and joint health. It’s high in vitamin E, which helps reduce oxidative stress on the body.
Main ingredients: Ground oat meal
Protein content: 25%
Fat content: 14%
Calories: 432 kcal/cup
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Not only does this food help support cardiac function, but it also helps maintain the overall structure of the heart. It’s a good source of wholesome grains, like corn, rice, and oats.
Pros
Formulated for dogs with early-stage heart disease
Cardiac protection blend of amino acids and omega fatty acids
High in vitamin E to reduce oxidative stress
Supports cardiac function and heart structure
Contains whole grains
Cons
Moderate sodium content
Prescription only
The best low sodium dog food for the money is Iams Adult Minichunks, which features real chicken as the first ingredient. This food contains 0.21% sodium on a dry matt`er basis, making it a moderate sodium diet option for tight budgets. The kibble size of this food is ideal for dogs of any size, and it’s highly palatable, even for picky eaters.
Formulated for dogs with early-stage heart disease
Cardiac protection blend of amino acids and omega fatty acids
High in vitamin E to reduce oxidative stress
Supports cardiac function and heart structure
Contains whole grains
- Formulated for dogs with early-stage heart disease
- Cardiac protection blend of amino acids and omega fatty acids
- High in vitamin E to reduce oxidative stress
- Supports cardiac function and heart structure
- Contains whole grains
Moderate sodium content
Prescription only
- Moderate sodium content
- Prescription only
It contains fiber and prebiotics to support healthy digestion, as well as antioxidants to support immune health. This food contains nutritious whole grains, like corn and sorghum, to support your dog’s overall health and to provide a good source of fiber. Although the kibbles in this food are small, they may be too crunchy for dogs with dental difficulties to eat.
Pros
Best value
Ideal kibble size for dogs of any size
Highly palatable
Fiber and prebiotics support healthy digestion
Antioxidants for immune health
Contains whole grains
Cons
Moderate sodium content
May be too difficult for dogs with chewing difficulties to eat
- JustFoodForDogs Turkey Dog Food
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Main ingredients: Turkey
Protein content: 10%
Fat content: 4%
Calories: 49 kcal/oz
The JustFoodForDogs Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni food is low in sodium, only containing around 24 milligrams of sodium per 1,000 calories. It contains wholesome grains, thanks to the addition of whole wheat macaroni, and it contains adequate levels of fiber from nutritious ingredients like zucchini, carrots, and cranberries.
Best value
Ideal kibble size for dogs of any size
Highly palatable
Fiber and prebiotics support healthy digestion
Antioxidants for immune health
Contains whole grains
- Best value
- Ideal kibble size for dogs of any size
- Highly palatable
- Fiber and prebiotics support healthy digestion
- Antioxidants for immune health
- Contains whole grains
Moderate sodium content
May be too difficult for dogs with chewing difficulties to eat
- Moderate sodium content
- May be too difficult for dogs with chewing difficulties to eat
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Main ingredients: Turkey
Protein content: 10%
Fat content: 4%
Calories: 49 kcal/oz
This ready-to-serve food has been formulated by veterinary nutritionists to ensure maximum health benefits for your dog. It’s shipped frozen and can be kept frozen for up to a year, but it should be consumed within 3 days of thawing. Although it retails for a premium price, this food is nutrient-dense and will help support a healthy weight when fed as directed.
Pros
Low in sodium
Contains whole grains and is a good source of fiber
Ready-to-serve
Formulated by veterinary nutritionists
Can be stored frozen for up to 1 year
Cons
Should be consumed within 3 days of thawing
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The Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin & Stomach wet food is our vet’s choice controlled sodium dog food. This food contains around 50 milligrams per 100 calories of food, making it a moderate sodium option.
Low in sodium
Contains whole grains and is a good source of fiber
Ready-to-serve
Formulated by veterinary nutritionists
Can be stored frozen for up to 1 year
- Low in sodium
- Contains whole grains and is a good source of fiber
- Ready-to-serve
- Formulated by veterinary nutritionists
- Can be stored frozen for up to 1 year
Should be consumed within 3 days of thawing
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- Should be consumed within 3 days of thawing
- Premium price
Main ingredients: Salmon
Protein content: 7%
Fat content: 5%
Calories: 467 kcal/can
It’s a good option for dogs with digestive and skin sensitivities, and it’s free of common allergens, like chicken and beef. It’s a good source of omega fatty acids for skin, coat, heart, and joint health. This is a highly palatable food option, and it contains rice as a gentle but nutrient-rich grain. If you’re feeding this as a sole food source for your dog, it’s likely to become expensive quite quickly.
Pros
Vet’s pick
Good option for dogs with digestive and skin sensitivities
Lacks common allergen proteins
Good source of omega fatty acids
Highly palatable
Contains whole grains
Cons
Moderate sodium content
Expensive when fed as a primary food source
If your dog needs to lose a few pounds, then the Hill’s Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight food may be a good option. It contains around 0.35% sodium on a dry matter basis, making it a slightly low sodium option. It does contain pea fiber as the fourth ingredient, and legumes like peas have shown a potential link to heart disease in dogs, so make sure to discuss this with your vet before switching your dog to this food.
Vet’s pick
Good option for dogs with digestive and skin sensitivities
Lacks common allergen proteins
Good source of omega fatty acids
Highly palatable
Contains whole grains
- Vet’s pick
- Good option for dogs with digestive and skin sensitivities
- Lacks common allergen proteins
- Good source of omega fatty acids
- Highly palatable
- Contains whole grains
Moderate sodium content
Expensive when fed as a primary food source
- Moderate sodium content
- Expensive when fed as a primary food source
It contains cracked pearled barley and brown rice as healthy, whole grain sources of fiber. This food is formulated to help your dog maintain muscle mass while losing body weight, and it’s packed with vitamins and minerals to help support your dog’s overall health. To help your dog feel satiated while losing weight, this food contains dried beet pulp and oat fiber. This food retails for a premium price.
Pros
Good option for weight loss
Contains whole grains
Helps your dog maintain muscle mass during weight loss
Packed with vitamins and minerals
Supports fullness
Cons
Contains legumes
Premium price
- The Honest Kitchen Whole Grain Turkey Recipe Dog Food Check Price on The Honest Kitchen Check Price on Chewy
Use code PETKEEN30 to SAVE 30% on your first order over $30 on thehonestkitchen.com
Main ingredients: Dehydrated turkey
Protein content: 22%
Fat content: 15%
Calories: 470 kcal/cup
The Honest Kitchen Whole Grain Turkey Recipe dog food is a dehydrated, cooked dog food that can be fed as a primary food source or as a topper or additive. It contains 0.14% sodium on a dry matter basis, making this one of the lowest sodium foods we reviewed. It’s nutrient dense, but this food retails for a premium price that may put it out of the budget for many people.
Good option for weight loss
Contains whole grains
Helps your dog maintain muscle mass during weight loss
Packed with vitamins and minerals
Supports fullness
- Good option for weight loss
- Contains whole grains
- Helps your dog maintain muscle mass during weight loss
- Packed with vitamins and minerals
- Supports fullness
Contains legumes
Premium price
- Contains legumes
- Premium price
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- Use code PETKEEN30 to SAVE 30% on your first order over $30 on thehonestkitchen.com
The ingredients are gently and slowly dehydrated, allowing them to retain as many nutrients as possible without having to feed a raw diet. It’s made with wholesome grains, like oats, and nutritious fruits and veggies, like carrots, apples, and cabbage. Pickier eaters may not love this food, especially since its texture is so different from most other dog foods.
Pros
Fully cooked
Low in sodium
High nutrient density
Gentle, slow dehydration retains nutrients
Contains whole grains
Cons
Premium price
May not be suitable for some picky eaters
Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream dog food contains 0.25% sodium content, making it a moderate sodium diet. This is a grain-free diet that contains lentils, so it’s important to discuss the potential risks associated with grain-free and legume-containing diets with your vet before switching your dog.
Fully cooked
Low in sodium
High nutrient density
Gentle, slow dehydration retains nutrients
Contains whole grains
- Fully cooked
- Low in sodium
- High nutrient density
- Gentle, slow dehydration retains nutrients
- Contains whole grains
Premium price
May not be suitable for some picky eaters
- Premium price
- May not be suitable for some picky eaters
It’s a good source of probiotics and fiber, supporting digestive health, as well as omega fatty acids, supporting skin, coat, heart, and joint health. Some people report their picky eaters not finding it to be very palatable. It is a good source of nutrient-dense protein, though, thanks to ingredients like salmon and ocean fish meal. This may be a good diet for dogs with sensitivities to common proteins.
Pros
Supports digestive health with probiotics and fiber
Good source of omega fatty acids
Contains nutrient-dense protein sources
May be suitable for dogs with food sensitivities
Cons
Moderate sodium content
May not be suitable for some picky eaters
Grain-free diet that contains legumes
Supports digestive health with probiotics and fiber
Good source of omega fatty acids
Contains nutrient-dense protein sources
May be suitable for dogs with food sensitivities
- Supports digestive health with probiotics and fiber
- Good source of omega fatty acids
- Contains nutrient-dense protein sources
- May be suitable for dogs with food sensitivities
Moderate sodium content
May not be suitable for some picky eaters
Grain-free diet that contains legumes
- Moderate sodium content
- May not be suitable for some picky eaters
- Grain-free diet that contains legumes
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Low Sodium Dog Food
What’s the Benefit of a Low Sodium Diet?
If your dog is healthy and has no existing medical problems, then a low or reduced sodium dog food likely isn’t necessary for them. In fact, sodium is an essential nutrient that supports healthy cardiovascular function. Healthy dogs are able to efficiently process excess sodium through their body, but dogs with heart problems may not be able to.
Dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF) and other forms of heart disease, like cardiomyopathy, can often benefit from reduced sodium diets. This is because without proper cardiac function, they may not be able to properly process, use, and excrete sodium. This can lead to a buildup of sodium within the body, leading to worsening heart disease symptoms, like edema (fluid buildup) and high blood pressure.
Keep in mind that there are other specific nutrients that can be of concern for a dog with heart disease, like potassium, phosphorus, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids.
How Can I Choose a Low Sodium Diet for My Dog?
Although there are great foods here to help you find a starting point, you should always discuss dietary changes with your dog’s vet. This is of special importance if your dog has specific nutritional needs related to heart disease. Simply switching your dog to a reduced sodium diet is likely not going to be the only change that will need to be made.
Taking a list of foods you think your dog might be interested in and that fit in your budget can be a great way to help your vet help you better select a food to meet your needs.
Here’s a table of information from the Vermont Veterinary Cardiology Services to help you understand appropriate sodium content levels based on your dog’s dietary needs.
Category: Allowable Sodium as a % of Dry matter
Mild Sodium Restriction: 0.3 – 0.4
Medium Sodium Restriction: 0.2 – 0.3
Marked Sodium Restriction: 0.15 – 0.2
Extreme Sodium Restriction: 0.075 – 0.15
Source: Vermont Veterinary Cardiology
- Source: Vermont Veterinary Cardiology
Final Thoughts
These reduced sodium food reviews serve simply as a starting point to help you find the right food for your dog, but make sure to discuss this with your vet in detail.
The best overall low sodium food for dogs is Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Cardiocare, which is a great, veterinary-prescribed option. For tight budgets, the Iams Adult Minichunks can be a great option, especially if you’re also purchasing expensive prescriptions for your dog.
For our vet’s choice food, you’ll love the Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin & Stomach wet food, which is highly palatable and can be a good option for dogs with food sensitivities.
Sources
Vet Explains Pets VCA Hospitals
Featured Image Credit: tanyastock, Shutterstock
Sources
Vet Explains Pets VCA Hospitals
- Vet Explains Pets
- VCA Hospitals
