How to Protect Your Dog’s Paws From Rock Salt
Since a snow bomb recently hit the East Coast, I have been forced to equip my tiny terrier with a coat and special footwear. Ball-like socks protect his feet from rock salt on the sidewalk, which is not exactly pleasant for the dog’s paws. Here’s why a seemingly harmless deicer is bad for your puppy, what happens if it gets caught between your puppy’s paws, and how to protect your pet’s paws from this dangerous winter mixture.
What is rock salt made of?
The most common way to melt ice is rock salt. This is the same salt (sodium chloride) that you use to make popcorn and other foods, only in larger particles. The ice melting mix you may have bought from the hardware store most likely contains rock salt as well as several other salts such as magnesium chloride or calcium chloride. Road-spread ice melt mixes usually contain several additional ingredients, such as sand and gravel, to improve friction on icy roads.
Rock salt melts the ice, creating a so-called cooling mixture that lowers the freezing point of water around the snow and ice, forcing the ice to melt and preventing more ice from forming. Traditional rock salt lowers temperatures to nearly zero degrees Fahrenheit, and mixtures of calcium chloride and magnesium chloride can inhibit ice formation at even lower temperatures, ideal for colder climates.
Why does your dog hurt?
This mixture of de-icing agents and ice lowers temperatures below freezing, which can cause frostbite and chemical burns to your dog’s paws. After walking in the salt snow, it is recommended to wash your paws in warm water to remove residues and prevent your dog from licking their paws. In addition, mixtures of rock salt and melted ice are poisonous if swallowed, according to the ASPCA . Symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and disorientation can be fatal if too much is eaten.
Beware of melting pet-friendly ice
While pet-friendly ice melting products are available, the “pet-friendly” branding is not always true. With no rules as to what constitutes an anti-icing agent suitable for pets, products labeled as such often contain ingredients similar to the ones they are trying to replace, ingredients similar enough to cause discomfort in pets if they ever enter the body or come into contact with you. dog paws.
What are you supposed to do
Walking your dog on salt-covered sidewalks? Dress your dog properly: Apply protective wax to your dog’s paws or dog’s booties to completely eliminate salt on your dog’s paws. Keeping your dog’s paws trimmed and avoiding messy hairs also helps prevent salt particles from getting trapped between the paw pads. Do not allow your dog to lick paws or puddles outside while walking so that he does not swallow any hazardous chemicals.
If you’re already dreading getting your dog to cooperate while you dress him up with what looks like a few balloons, you can try this alternative method before you get even more scratches.