With the winter season finally arriving here in St. Louis, a lot of homeowners will be out removing the snow and ice from their walkways and driveways. After that an application of salt or a deicer will probably be spread out on the areas that we just shoveled. Keep your four legged friend in mind when spreading salt as they can cause an animal to get sick. Even the products that claim to be pet friendly can harm a pet if it is ingested.
Always try to wipe down your dog’s paws with a damp towel
after coming in from the snowy weather to remove anything from being tracked
in. Trim the hair between the dog’s paws to help in the prevention of
mineral collections from salt, or you can invest in a pair of dog booties for
their 4 paws to provide extra protection.
Consider using a salt free ice melt, such as "Safe
Paws" or "Morton Safe-T-Pet" when choosing a product for your
home to control the ice. These products still contain a chemical called urea
(carbonyl diamide) which is considered to be safe. This chemical can cause
vomiting in the animal if it is ingested. Try to pick a deicer with colored
pellets or granules to help identify it better in the weather.
Photo Credit:media.mnn.com
Photo Credit:media.mnn.com
