Using Regular Melting Salt Instead Of Pet Safe?

[RaineysMom]

hi, we have a concrete patio that Larry and Zeke have to use to get in and out to go potty from the back yard. The length they cross is about 15-20 feet in total.

 

living in Chicago, we obviously get a lot of snow and we take great pains to keep the patio ice free because we are terrified one of the boys will slip and go down hard (they frequently come running and hit it going fast). We've always used the pet safe ice melt, which works ok, but is TERRIBLY expensive and we've been going through at LEAST 10-12 containers every winter (probably a lot more), with all the snow we've been getting here the past few years.

 

they only go out between 4-7 times a day (5 being the norm) and only are on the ice melt stuff for a few seconds, when it's even on the ground. Would it really be bad for them if we used the regular melting salt for that small area instead of the pet safe? I could see if they were standing on it for a long time but it's literally 2 seconds to cross.

 

any thoughts?

 

thanks!

[sarabz]

I'd be more concerned about pitting in the concrete with actual salt

[Houndtime]

Use baby wipes to clean their feet when they come in. Or a wash cloth with warm water.

[NeylasMom]

We don't get a choice because we live in a condo community and they heavily salt all of the walkways. Zuri never seemed to be bothered by it. Skye, who is my mixed breed and thus has much furrier paws doesn't seem too affected, though occasionally she will hold paws up and limp for a few steps, but Violet walks like she's walking on hot coals at times. I am going to try Musher's secret and/or Pawz this year to see if either helps.

 

I would say give it a shot and see how it goes. Definitely wipe down paws with a warm damp cloth when they come in. Some sort of mat that could catch some of the salt on their way in might also be helpful. Maybe the types that you use under kitty litter boxes? If you have an awning or some covering over your entrance, maybe putting one outside and one right inside would help, leaving less to wipe off?

 

That might be sufficient. If they find it painful to walk over it then you might want to try the MS or Pawz, or switch back. I am guessing if it's just a few steps and then snow would clean their feet off it will be fine.

 

https://smile.amazon.com/PawZ-Disposable-Dog-Booties-12pk/dp/B00CZ7RR84/ref=sr_1_12?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1481749499&sr=1-12&keywords=pawz+dog+boots

https://smile.amazon.com/Mushers-Secret-Pet-Protection-200-Gram/dp/B0002XIZXY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1481749482&sr=1-1&keywords=mushers+secret

[Batmom]

I use Ace Hardware Ice Melter, which is mostly sodium/magnesium/potassium chloride. It says something like "safe for vegetation and pets when used as directed" and "safe for properly cured concrete." The nice thing about it is, it works well, even when it's quite cold. If somebody gets a little piece of it stuck on their pad, they'll limp until it comes off, just as with any little rock. Otherwise, no problem. I do watch to make sure nobody tries to eat big globs of ice/snow that I've scraped up after applying it, but I don't have any serious snow eaters now.

 

 

ETA: If I see somebody limping I'll check paws, but I haven't needed to wipe them down. This stuff is in small pieces and melts pretty the ice fast, leaving ... salt water.

Edited December 14, 2016 by Batmom

[dmdsmoxie]

I would mix sand with the ice melt so you don't use as much ice melt. The dark color will help absorb the sunlight and give good footing.

[Batmom]

Ah, good suggestion, Dick! We do that, too. Or not so much mix them as use the sand where the snow/ice is thick and solid. I get the tube sand (traction sand) -- the stuff people buy to weigh down the backs of their pickup trucks. It's very coarse. I keep a bucket of it inside the house so it's nice and warm. Then it sticks to the ice better when you spread it. One icy winter I went through @ half a ton of the stuff but most winters, 5-6 tubes are enough.

[TwiggysMom]

In my experience between Twiggy and many fosters, all but one of the ice melters labeled "pet safe" are anything but.

 

Safe Paw is the only one that they can actually walk on without pain. Actually, I think rock salt is better than most other ice melters, but still not good for paws.

 

Sand would be the best, most cost effective solution, IMO.

 

Unfortunately, Safe Paw is extremely expensive, and I can't afford to use it to the extent necessary to get Twiggy out of the development. I do remove the melters the association uses for a portion of the development, but just to get her to the sidewalk costs $40 per snowfall. Then there is the public sidewalk to treat.

 

The same company that makes Safe Paw also has a new(ish?) product called Traction Magic. It is not an ice melter, but is designed to give immediate traction on slippery surfaces. I ordered a pail of it and just applied some an hour or so ago; not convinced of its effectiveness yet. I will definitely update once I get Twiggy to try it out.

 

Another option is boots or socks. I bought the Woodrow Wear greyhound socks for Twiggy a couple years ago, but she promptly ate one... yacked it up weeks later & ate it again... yacked it up again & I grabbed it before she could snarf it down once more, lol. (good news - it washed up good as new so I have a spare since she's a tripod!!) I'm trying them again now out of desperation. We were out of options for her to go outside anywhere with her traction, tripod, and hind end issues, and I was looking at quality of life issues. They have made an amazing difference & have extended her quality of life. They don't stay on all that well, but if I can get them on a stubborn, elderly, hind-end-weakned tripod, anyone can! lol.

 

ETA: I see dmdsmoxie and Batmom also recommend sand as a good solution!

Edited December 14, 2016 by TwiggysMom

[dmdsmoxie]

Jey, the reason I suggested mixing them is a lot of people put way to much down. I don't know about the pet safe ice melt, but if you put down one piece of rock salt and saw the area it melts many people would be surprised.

 

However, that makes sense to put a course sand on the thicker icy areas. Dark colors and the sun are your friend during the winter.

[cleptogrey]

kosher salts goes a long way and does a great job. i've never had problems w/ the dog's paws, but the concrete was not very happy.

 

i find that lying towels down, an old raggy oversized beach towel type seems to be the best best yet. no chemicals, when it's covered w/ snow just showel, when it's frozen, stick another one on top. i usually can pull the rigid towel off. they work well on steps, we have 5 going to our back porch and they never slip once they have some frozen moisture in them. you can also use cardboard or cheap rag rugs or old bathmats. all work, ikea sells some inexpensive runners that are rubber backed, have a back up one and rotate. all of these do not look beautiful but they work. at the end of the season either i toss them or hang them on the line, let mother nature do a pre rinse and then wash them and return them to our packing materials for antique shows.

[Time4ANap]

Salt should never be used on concrete due to the damage it does to the concrete surface. Ice melter (usually white, pink or blue pellets depending on the brand) will do much less damage than salt, although the freeze/thaw cycle can still cause some pitting to the surface,

 

I used regular ice melt for years when we lived in IL and never had an issue with paws walking through it. I normally bought the store brand from Ace Hardware unless the pet safe bag was on sale and sometimes cheaper.

 

Using some paw protection like Musher Secret or Paw Wax will help minimize any paw irritation from Winter weather. If it was slushy or I felt the streets were too salty i would just use baby wipes on his paws when we came back in. Rocket would never wear boots no matter how cold it was, and only once when it was about minus 15 with a minus 40 windchill did he complain about his paws burning and cut a walk short.

[GeorgeofNE]

I think that "pet safe" ice melter is a marketing gimmick.

 

I assure you that the city of Boston does not care even a little about pet safe ice melter, and my dog survived 12 winters walking around the city sidewalks without any issues.

 

Nothing ever bothered George either--and my condo does not use pet safe products.

 

The only problem we ever had was when the town salt truck did not turn off his salt blaster when he drove past me on the sidewalk, and George's front legs got hit by flying salt, and it cut him. Poor guy. Didn't even flinch. But I wrote a scathing letter to the DPW!