People, pets and ice: Not so nice
By Phyllis DeGioia
January 16, 2009
Because there’s not that much else I can do about it, I thought I’d write about ice.
As I write this, in southern Wisconsin it’s -14F with a dangerous windchill of -31F. Tonight it will be even colder. The current weather “event” storming across the country is blanketing many states in bitter cold and ice.
Ice is great for ice sculpture contests, but it is a potentially dangerous part of winter for both you and your pets. Planning ahead on how to deal with ice at your home takes some research and preparation.
First, use common sense about going outside. If the roads and sidewalks are slathered in ice, it’s prudent to skip walking the dog. If you fall, you are likely to drop the leash and become disconnected from your dog, plus you can really hurt yourself. Human emergency rooms fill up rapidly during freezing rain events, and while most of those cases are treated and released, lots of folks end up being admitted with broken hips, bad necks, and some life-altering traumatic brain injuries. However, if you feel you must walk the dog, wear ice grippers like Yak Trax on your shoes.
The real question is what type of ice melter or de-icer is safest for pets. Ice on sidewalks and driveway must be cleared: you are legally liable if someone gets hurt falling on your property. So what do you use?
The two main concerns about pets and ice melters are: 1) ingesting enough to be poisonous, and 2) irritating or burning pads and skin. You hear stories of dogs who get sick from ice melters and of pet-safe products that don’t work.
Different conditions and climates need different products: rock salt (sodium chloride), urea (carbonyl diamide or carbamide resin), calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, and combination products. If you read the labels, you’ll see that many melters have the same ingredients, just in different quantities. The primary difference in these products is the temperature at which they will actually melt ice. Salt is effective down to about 22F, but calcium chloride can melt at almost 50 degrees colder, around -35F. Potassium chloride works to about 0F. Salt will keep melting ice for a while but calcium chloride melts quickly and has to be reapplied. That also means that salt is left on your driveway for much longer, and can stick to pads. Straight salt is also hard on the concrete.
Most melters advertised as pet safe use urea or glycol/amides. They are more expensive than salt (Safe Paw is $21 for 8 pounds and rock salt is $6.50 for 50 pounds) and some people say they aren’t as effective.
A couple of days ago, I used both rock salt and Safe Paw, a glycol/amide mixture, on my front steps. (I keep falling and spraining my neck by going splat… All my falls are dog-derived. Last summer my physical therapist sent a thank you note saying “I’m sorry your dogs keep hurting you.” It’s hard to see when you’re carrying a geriatric. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.) I was pleased to discover that the Safe Paw was almost as effective as the rock salt; the steps were in direct sunlight when I did the test, and it’s always best to have Mother Nature help out.
Do you have to worry about your dog getting sick from any of these products? Yes, but probably not as often as you think. Most dogs won’t ingest enough to get sick, and irritated pads are more common than poisoning. Last year when Madison had double our average annual snowfall – a record we are on target to pass this year – I couldn’t find a bag of pet-safe melter in town for love or money. In desperation I bought salt. My dogs have not had a problem, even though salt has been all over the front steps, and I’m still using the same bag. A local vet ER I called said they hadn’t seen a case in the past five years. That said, even ingesting too much urea can be a problem (and if your pet has four stomachs, keep her the heck away from urea, as urea and ruminants are a bad combination).
However, If your dog manages to ingest whatever amount is too much for him, you’re going to have a pretty sick dog on your hands, and you need to get to the vet ASAP. Some of these cases can be fatal. They’re not common, but cases are reported to the ASPCA Poison Control Center. A dog would probably need to ingest around a teaspoonful per 20 pounds of body weight to become ill, and it all tastes bad – which we know doesn’t stop some dogs.
The best approach is to use as little of any chemical melter as you can, use the one appropriate for your climate, and use nonchemical approaches. Some of the best money I ever spent was on a good long-handled ice chopper. An ice chopper and a lot of elbow grease is a safe approach for your pets. Sunlight is amazingly effective when you can get it. Sand, clay kitty litter (not clumping), and ashes all can help prevent slipping. Keep yourself and your pets safe by dealing with the ice without chemicals when you can, and with wise use when it’s necessary.
For right now, I think I’ll wait until it’s above zero before I go outside.
Images: Me, top, and ice chopper above.
And if you walk through chemically treated areas, don’t forget to wash your dog’s paws when you get home.
Comment by Shelly — January 16, 2009 @ 8:59 am
Yak Trax are ok, but this year I discovered the joy of MicroSpikes (http://thegearjunkie.com/kahtoola-microspikes). They are pricey, but invaluable on icy roads when out walking dogs. Especially when it’s that slushy/icy combo where the slush packs into your boot treads, rendering them useless. Easier on and off, but better fitting than the Yak Trax, I love my MicroSpikes. NCI, of course.
Comment by mikken — January 16, 2009 @ 10:02 am
Thanks for the Yak Trax link. I sent it to my daughter, who goes to college in Chicago and reports taking a few spills on the ice there just getting to and from classes.
Comment by Susan — January 16, 2009 @ 10:35 am
I want to try this stuff, which is environmentally friendly and allegedly safe for pets:
http://www.ecotraction.com/
In Montreal this winter, they’ve done such a lousy job of snow-clearing that the sidewalks are ice and people are actually strapping on mountaineering crampons. I suspect that might be overkill!
We can’t use salt because of our well, among other things.
Love the hat! :)
Comment by Natalie R — January 16, 2009 @ 10:54 am
Comment by mikken — January 16, 2009 @ 10:02 am
Thanks for the link for the spikes! I have the Yak Trax, but the spikes look like they would be better for the more solid blocks of ice. I will say that the YT have saved my tail bone from countless meetings with the pavement! Iirc, this is my third winter with them and I haven’t hit the pavement since. Most of the time my dog seems to understand when we hit patches where I’m on shaky ground, but she also knows what “slowly” means so I can give her a cue if ice walking is unavoidable.
Comment by straybaby — January 16, 2009 @ 11:09 am
My Yak Trax keep falling off…very annoying to discover you’re suddenly without them and you have no idea how far back you lost them. A friend sent some Ice Traxx from Canada that are great but I couldn’t find them for sale in the U.S. Apparently Yak Trax has a new model with a foot strap but I haven’t tried it.
I’ll take a peek at the Microspikes, thanks!
Comment by Phyllis DeGioia — January 16, 2009 @ 1:15 pm
Mine strap over my shoes. I just leave them on one pair by the door during icy times. Otherwise I don’t think of it until I’m downstairs and standing on ice with the dog . . .
these are the ones I have:
http://www.yaktrax.com/ProductsPro.aspx
Comment by straybaby — January 16, 2009 @ 3:03 pm
Honestly, Phyllis, I’m glad you have written — and given others a chance to add more — about these cold-weather topics. Heaven knows I’m not much help with them, since the only other place I’ve lived besides California is Florida.
One of the client newspapers for the Pet Connection syndicated pet-care page is (or maybe was, I haven’t checked lately) the Whitehorse-Yukon News. Yeah, like in the freakin’ coldest place in Canada.
I always think: Wow, if they only knew how warm it was where I was writing they’d probably swear out a hit on me.
Of course, the truth is I leave the cold-weather pet advice to Dr. Becker, who as a resident of Northern Idaho knows a thing or two about snow and ice.
P.S. Really cute hat. Do the flaps add anything besides fashion?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — January 16, 2009 @ 5:28 pm
It was -30F when I work up this am. The bathroom pipes were nearly frozen (only a trickle of water - no damage, but also no showers); the front door was frozen shut and the dogs were so cold they peed on the sidewalk, flip-turned and zipped back inside.
On the bright side - the fast-flowing water in the creek behind our house was one of the few unfrozen areas around, so we were treated with all day views of bald eagles fishing outside our door.
There’s balance in everything
Comment by SmartDogs — January 16, 2009 @ 7:37 pm
Phyllis,
I had the same problem with the Yak Trax! But the MicroSpikes really stay on nicely - not even any slippage walking the dogs over various snow/ice-covered terrains (steep hill and all).
I highly recommend them for dog walking in slippery conditions.
Comment by mikken — January 16, 2009 @ 8:39 pm
I think my post may have gotten stuck in the filter because of a link, but the Yak Trax I have, have a strap over the top of the shoe. I have never had them come off. The MicroSpikes do look like they would be better on inclines, which I won’t have to deal with until next winter :)
Comment by straybaby — January 16, 2009 @ 8:54 pm
As I was searching for dog supplies online, I stumbled upon your blog. Your post has been very helpful, especially the information Yak Trax. I always fear that I’m going to slip and fall while walking my dog.
Comment by Dan — January 17, 2009 @ 9:11 am
I didn’t even know about yaktrax or microspikes! Thanks! I have taken a couple falls walking dogs this winter in Chicago. Over the holidays I was dogsitting in a neighborhood where NO ONE took care of their sidewalks and then we got a weird thaw/ all ice everywhere thing. One of my friends dogs even sprained his shoulder and he’s a husky.
Thanks again!
Comment by Amy — January 17, 2009 @ 1:01 pm
I am suddenly very thankful to be living in Tucson.
And that is an awesome hat.
Comment by stellaluna — January 17, 2009 @ 4:03 pm
I realize this will probably mean no END of ribbing, but I have to put in a good word for boots. You know, the ones for dogs.
Okay, yes, big dogs won’t tolerate them, and NO dog I’ve ever met would put up with the neoprene ones, either. But the fleece “socks” with the velcro ankle wraps actually work well for smaller dogs who’ll accept them.
I used to live in the Midwest, and my old terrier mix girl wouldn’t even walk out to pee when it was under 20 because the snow and salt would pack up between her pads, and it hurt. She’d just stand there, lifting one or two feet at a time and whining to be picked up.
When I put her “dog socks” on for the first time, she kicked and complained like crazy. But I swear you could see a doggy lightbulb go on over her head the first time she wore them out into the snow. No more complaints - or balking - after that. And no problems with salt or ice-melter, either - you just throw them into the washer when the salt gets bad enough they can stand up on their own.
Okay, they’re not for every dog - neither of my current guys would tolerate them - but for little ones in severely cold weather, they’re worth a try. If you can’t buy them in your local store, you can make them easily from various patterns online.
Comment by LauraL — January 17, 2009 @ 11:36 pm
I so wish my dog would wear boots! Over the past couple years, the amount of chemical ice melts has really gone down around me. Now, a lot more sand and some rock salt. I generally keep a rag in my pocket to wipe her feet if she seems bothered on our walks by it. The bigger problem is the extreme cold. Past couple days you could tell the cold pavement was really getting to her even on “quickies”. When we have just “normal” too cold weather with snow around, she’ll get a cold foot or two and will hold them up for warming (you would think she would make the connection with keeping the feet in the snow=cold foot!) and we are good to go until she does it again. Last night, just squatting to do her business you could almost see the cold going up her legs :(
Tonight we are warming up though, so hopefully we are done with these extremes for this year. She’s good down to about 20 with a bit of wind chills and is even pretty good in the teens without the wind. Temp keeps rising, up 4 from a couple hours ago and we are now at 26. YES!!! We’re havin’ a heat wave! {grin}
Comment by straybaby — January 18, 2009 @ 1:59 am
The thing with doggie boots is that they need to fit SNUG. A lot of people buy them with some room, and while that works for people, for dogs, you want them to fit snugly, like socks.
And similarly, you want the velcro wrap around their ankle to be fairly tight - not so much so that it cuts off circulation - but enough that movement is essentially eliminated.
Then praise, praise, praise when they’re wearing them so they come to believe that doing so is the best thing in the world!
Comment by The OTHER Pat — January 18, 2009 @ 7:41 am
The other day at the dog park I finally saw the first set of booties I’d ever seen there - a bright orange neoprene set on a white miniature poodle, who was also wearing a coat. Without those items, that dog would not have been able to go outside for any length of time (tiny dog, less body mass to combat the cold). Of course, when I saw the dog, he was being carried by Dad….
Comment by Phyllis DeGioia — January 19, 2009 @ 8:40 am
We have a golden mix (70lbs) and after working with him for weeks he is finally used to wearing boots. We put them on him right before we go outside, then keep the leash tight so he can’t walk way out in front of us. On the very cold WI days/nights and when the sidewalks are heavily salted they are a life saver for all of us. They allow us to get our walks in without his paws getting so cold or hurting. They are well worth the time and energy working with your dog to get them used to wearing boots. We made small adjustments to the Velcro straps simply sewed the end over to form a tab so we can easily pull them off after the walk.
Comment by Patina — January 19, 2009 @ 12:10 pm