Deicer Safe For Pets

Pets Tip of the Day

For the protection of dog paws beet juice makes an excellent replacement deicer for salt on sidewalks. Salt is a paw irritant and health hazard to dogs, cats, and other animals.

Rock salt, commonly used for melting ice, can cause irritation and burns to paws. At the extreme, dogs can experience seizures, tremors, vomiting, and dehydration if they ingest too much salt by licking their sore paws.

Beet juice is a safer deicer to use. Beet juice is biodegradable and nontoxic.

Salt lowers the freezing point of water at 5 degrees F. Beet juice does the same at minus 20 degrees F. Scientists have found that when using a combination of sugar beet juice, calcium chloride, and salt, icy roads can be de-iced better than with salt and sand alone. The beet juice mixture works at temperatures as low as minus 60 degrees F. and sticks to surfaces longer than salt mixtures alone.

When walking in areas where the composition of deicers are unknown, dogs can be fitted with booties which will protect their paws.

Always wash a dog’s paws when returning from a winter walk. Soothing herbal lotions and creams can also be applied for additional protection.