[Terry]

Are ice melt products and/or rock salt safe to use with dogs? My husband wants to keep something on hand in case it ever DOES snow this winter. This is our first winter with a newly paved driveway (with a slight slope to it) and we don't want anyone to fall if it gets slippery. I told him I'd check into the pro's and con's. Does anybody have any experience with the stuff?

Terry

 

[AmyB]

I persoanlly do not use the stuff, because of the damage some of it does to concrete, but I have heard that it can burn the pads on the feet. I'm guessing it would have to be prolonged contact. Sadie & Spencer have walked through it when we walk in the neighborhood & have had no problems. I wonder though, what would happen if they licked it?

 

[Guest]

All types of Ice Melt(calcium chloride and sodium chloride) can be very irritating to paws if not washed off very soon. It tastes salty and some animals like to lick it off their paws but it can cause gastric irritation and if ingested enough electrolyte imbalances and cardiac trouble. I won't use it because it's not super great for the environment (there are worse things but the run-off from melting goes into groundwater) You have to weigh the risks and benefits. Let's face it, if you have 85 year old Grandma using the walkways and driveways you really have to think about creating a fall risk-free environment, your dog's feet vs. Grandmas's hips.
I always clean Francis's feet when he's been walking on it. My neighbor smears Vaseline on her dog's feet but the time I did I had grease smears all over the place. Normal solutions have never worked for us :roll:

[ January 23, 2006, 09:25 PM: Message edited by: Beverly Anne Cawley ]

 

[Barbara Winters]

There are ice melt products that are advertised as being child and pet safe. One is Paw Thaw and another is Safe Paw. I don't recall which one I tried but it seemed to dissolve leaving behind the ice. My town used to have to piles of sand available, one with salt the other plain sand. I like using sand on the ice for traction but it's almost impossible to not track it in the house. How about a heated driveway?

 

[Guest]

That ice melt stuff can refreeze...we tried it in MA B4 we got Ruby.