Top 3 Best Pet Safe Ice Melts

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If you live in a cold climate, you know ice melts are a necessity. Without ice melts, it would be challenging reaching your car, let alone going for a walk or backing on your driveway. If you live in cold climates and are a dog owner, you can’t use any product. Some ice melts are toxic to dogs, which is simply a risk most dog owners are unwilling to take.

What are ice melts?

Ice melts are chemical products that will lower the freezing temperature of the water, which will cause snow and ice to melt. In normal conditions, water freezes around 32 degrees Fahrenheit. When you add ice melt, the freezing point lowers significantly. Some products can lower it to -62 degrees Fahrenheit. Naturally, snow and ice lose their form and melt. It is something people from colder climates love because it makes their lives a lot easier.

What to look for in pet-friendly ice melts?

If your yard often gets covered in snow or ice, ice melt can help you with that. However, you need to make sure that this product won’t accidentally poison your dog. Dogs love playing in the snow, especially if you have a breed like the Siberian Husky or Alaskan Malamute. These dogs have thick coats, and the cold doesn’t bother them. In fact, they really enjoy cold weather. However, ice melts can be toxic, and you need to make sure you get a pet-safe ice melt. Here are some of the most important things you should know about pet-safe ice melts;

Salt

Many ice melts are based on some type of salt. The most common salts used in ice melt products are calcium chloride, sodium chloride, and magnesium chloride. If you live in a cold climate, you probably have a bunch of kitchen salt for melting away ice and snow. Well, kitchen salt is sodium chloride, and you should not allow your dog to ingest it.

Urea

Urea is a common chemical that can be found in many ice melts. This is a chemical that makes up a significant portion of mammal urine. This is the safest option for dogs, and pet-safe ice melts are based on urea.

Ethylene Glycol

Ethylene glycol is a chemical that is used in antifreeze. This is an effective ice melting product, but it is highly toxic to pets. In fact, it is extremely toxic to humans as well. Unfortunately, many dogs and cats have died after ingesting antifreeze, so if you are a dog owner that wants to use antifreeze, we would urge you to reconsider or use it with extreme caution.

Propylene Glycol

Propylene glycol is similar to ethylene glycol, but it is a lot safer. This chemical is used in vape cigarettes, so you know it is not nearly as toxic as ethylene glycol. It will do the same job as ethylene glycol, but it is generally considered a lot safer.

Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA)

This is a chemical developed by the US Federal Highway Administration, and it is used for treating roads and highways. It is environmentally safe and not toxic to dogs and cats. The main issue with it is it can cause skin irritations, and the dog’s paws might get irritated from this chemical. Plus, it has a high price.

Here are the best pet-safe ice melts;

World Dog Finder team