Ice melt, or salt, that is commonly used to clear ice from
sidewalks and other icy surfaces can be harmful to pets. The
main ingredient in most ice melt products is either sodium
chloride or calcium chloride. Both sodium and calcium chloride
can irritate a dog's paws or be harmful to the animal if
ingested. A dog's paws should be cleaned after walking outside
on snowy days. Even if you don't see the ice melt, it may still
be on surfaces. A dog that licks its feet after coming inside
could experience vomiting or diarrhea. To keep your dog from
ingesting large amounts of ice melt products, keep him from
eating snow or drinking from puddles. A dog that ingests 4g
(less than 1 oz.) of sodium chloride per 1kg (2.3 lbs.) of body
weight could die. That would mean a dog that weighs only 4 lbs.
would only need to eat about 2 ounces of ice melt containing
sodium chloride before resulting in death. When using ice-
melting products around your pet, consider using non-toxic
brands, such as Safe Paws or Morton Safe-T-Pet. T