Watch out for your Pets when you use Ice Melt

The recent ice storm that hit our region reminded me to take extra precautions with my pets.

It wasn’t long ago that one of my dogs became sick due to poisoning from rock salt. The main chemical found in most salts and ice melters is chloride. Sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and magnesium chloride are all dangerous chemicals found in Ice melters that can make your pet sick. Pets will often ingest this salt by licking their paws. The salt tends to dry and irritate their pads so they lick them more often. Additional chemicals to watch out for are:  calcium carbonate, calcium magnesium acetate and urea these are all bad for your pet. The problem is that a lot of companies do not list all of the ingredients found in their products so you have to be careful. Just because it has a cute dog on the bag doesn’t mean it is safe. You have to look at the labels. Some ice melters that are safe for pets include Morton Safe-T–Pet and Howard Johnson’s Pet-Guard Ice Melt. These products do not contain salt.

You can’t stop walking your dog because it is winter- so just take some extra precautions.

Rinse your dog’s paws with water after you come back from taking a walk and you know there is salt on the ground. Frequently inspect your pet’s pads to make sure they are not dry and cracked. If you have any concerns call your vet.