January in Michigan… a time for hot cocoa, a book by the fire, and of course de-icing every outdoor surface. If you’re like me, you’ll forget to buy sidewalk salt until you’re on your way out to the store. You grab whatever kind the store has at the front. Then, right after you see an Amazon delivery person sliding their way back to the truck you run out and sprinkle it all over. As you trudge back inside you stop to think “uh oh, was that ok for my dog to walk on?” The short answer is, maybe. Generally speaking, most deicers are formulated with some version of salt. However, some are superior to others for our furry friends. 

If you have pets or live in a neighborhood with a lot of walking pups I encourage you to read the ingredient label prior to putting sidewalk salt in your cart. The products containing sodium or calcium chloride are the most irritating to paws and can cause disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract or electrolytes if large amounts are ingested. Avoid anything containing ethylene or propylene glycol as these are highly toxic (these are usually your liquid products). Urea based products are considered the safest for our pets and are usually labeled as “pet safe”. 

If you have any concerns regarding toxicity of a specific product I encourage you to reach out to your local VCA Animal Hospital or the ASPCA poison control hotline at (888) 426-4435. Also, if you have a pet who has frequent skin irritation on their paws I would strongly consider the use of snow booties in the winter. Not only are they a spectacular fashion statement but they can protect your sensitive little friend from the irritation of ice and sidewalk salt. –Dr. Maggie Stall, VCA Countryside Animal Hospital of Hamburg