Sidewalk Salt Pellets Dangerous for Dogs, Vets Aim for Alternatives

Don't trust your town to care for Fido's well-being, there is a solution though.

It's been one hell of a winter between the frequent snow storms, lack of plowing services due to budget constraints, and the near-constant onslaught of below-freezing temperatures. "All those cold temperatures may be great for a winter wardrobe or encouraging people to stay in, but in reality it's a nightmare for dogs if the sidewalks and roads are being salted frequently," explains Dr. Jamie Carlton, a veterinarian practicing in Brooklyn, New York.

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It turns out the most commonly used ice melting pellets can actually be toxic to pets. The warning isn't openly or fairly distributed to the public because the perceived human health dangers are relatively low, but even poison.com makes clear reference to the imminent risk these pellets pose to our beloved household pets.

"Products with the following chemicals should be avoided: sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride and ethylene glycol. Most products claiming to be “pet-friendly” use magnesium chloride salt. Magnesium chloride salt is still a chloride salt. While it may be less awful than the other two chloride salts, it should never be considered as safe."

Any of the popular salt-melting pellets can stick into a pet paw, which hurts in the short-term, but can also lead to cracked, dry paw pads, skin irritations, and even ocular and respiratory issues. When pets lick those salt pellet-filled paw pads in an effort to relieve pain and encourage healing, they are then ingesting bits of those salt pellets which can lead to extreme digestive issues, require expensive and painful hospitalization, or even death. It seems smaller dog breeds are at particularly high risk given the ratio of sodium chloride to their body weight. Salt toxicity is very real, and more common than the average pet owner gives credence to.

Photo by Matthew LeJune on Unsplash

The most mind-boggling part of this pet safety issue is the almost complete lack of government or industry oversight on what actually makes a product pet-safe. Believe it or not, there are no medical standards established for pet safety (similar to world of under-governed dog food), and because ice melt isn't intended for actual consumption, the FDA plays no role in overseeing production, claims, or ingredients. That means products boasting 'pet-safe' labels may just be full of B.S., bogus salts based on chloride, that do more harm to pets than good to your outdoor walkways. Popular retailers including Amazon, Target, and Petco do limited research and vetting for the 'pet-safe' salts that hit their shelves and online listings each winter, perpetuating the idea that if a sticker says pet-safe, it truly must be.

"Best case scenario would be switching to truly pet-safer formulas," explains Carlton. "But that's unlikely, so I'd rather see pet parents salt their own walk ways and driveways with actually pet-safe formulas without all the chloride salts, or wear those cute little dog shoes. I know that's not always likely because of busy schedules, some pets hating them, and other issues, but if you live in a major city like New York where you have no control over what goes on the roads and sidewalks, it's a worthwhile consideration. Of course you can still ask your building to use better quality pellets on your own walkways, or supply the pellets yourself."

Brine dump to de-ice roads

Of Amazon's top-selling ice melt products, the majority include a pet-safety claim. Of the seven that include pet-safety claims, two don't even label their ingredients. Three promise to have no salt, while all the rest use dangerous chloride salts even though they're clearly not pet-safe. Amazon, simply put, doesn't do the research it takes to ensure any, nevermind all, of the products sold as pet-safe actually are.

The top-selling ice melt pellet prodcuts on Amazon as of February, 2021

And if you think the risks stop at your pet's paws, think again. The New Jersey Herald reported on a significant study done by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and found increased use of road salts has lead to, "Problems for humans who have private water wells; animals in their habitat, and vegetation killed."

Weather experts are getting excited about other, pet-friendlier options though. "Seeing that the science of preventing ice has come such a long way in the past few years, I've recently been trying some liquid anti-icing pretreatment solutions and I'm super impressed," says Todd Santos, chief meteorologist at WIVB News in New York state. "It was as easy to purchase as rock salt, but easier to carry as it came in gallon bottles. While the claims for some pre-treaters are that they can prevent ice in all the temps down to – 15°F, I have only tested down to 10°F with really good results. I poured it into my pump sprayer and put it down in under 10 minutes. One application worked through multiple freeze/thaw cycles including after slushy snow ahead of temps dropping to 10 degrees [ Fahrenheit ]. I think this is a potential game-changer for critical areas like walkways and sidewalks. This was a solution without chloride salt which is safe for my lawn, pet, and deck."

PlaySafe Ice Blocker, from $29.95 here

One such chloride-free and truly pet-safe product, PlaySafe Ice Blocker, prevents ice from bonding to surfaces like sidewalks and pavement with calcium magnesium acetate, potassium acetate, and water -- a safer alternative for precious little paws.

All chemical ice blockers come with some degree of risk though, so choosing a pellet-free, less-harsh formula is probably your best bet if you can't guarantee your pet will be snow-safe and in weather-appropriate booties.

"Don’t let dogs eat any of the salt or any of the snow (especially the slushy snow) outside that may have been treated with an ice melt," details the ASPCA. Adding that all pet owners should, "Wipe your pet’s paws as soon as they get inside with a damp cloth or baby wipes. Minimize paw licking until their paws are completely clean. This will also help minimize risk for skin irritation that may be seen from walking through ice melts."

Have thoughts or experiences of your own you'd like to share? Leave them in the comments section below.