Rock Salt and Your Dog’s Paws: De-Icers, Grit and Licking
This page is not veterinary advice. If your dog has eaten de-icer or grit, or has sore, cracked or bleeding paws, ring your vet or your national animal poison line. Full disclaimer.
Every icy pavement in winter is treated with something, and a dog walks through it barefoot and then licks its feet clean. The ASPCA’s January 2026 advice sets out what is in the bag and what to do after every walk. Source: ASPCA, Is it safe to use de-icers around your dog? (22 January 2026).
On this page (5 sections)
What is in de-icers
The ASPCA lists the common types as sodium chloride (rock salt), calcium chloride, potassium chloride and magnesium chloride, with rock salt the most widely used. It says rock salt eaten in quantity can cause dangerously high sodium levels, and that the other salts can irritate the gut and cause bloody vomiting or diarrhoea and changes in electrolytes. Source: ASPCA, Is it safe to use de-icers around your dog? (22 January 2026).
Paws and licking
The ASPCA says rock salt can be harsh on dogs’ paws and cause irritation, and advises wiping or rinsing your dog’s paws after a walk, which also stops the salt being licked off later. It suggests watching for discomfort, such as limping or licking the paws. Source: ASPCA, Is it safe to use de-icers around your dog? (22 January 2026).
- Keep a towel and a bowl of lukewarm water by the door through the gritting season.
- Clean between the pads as well as underneath them.
- Store bags of grit and de-icer where dogs and cats cannot reach or tear into them.
What “pet safe” means
The ASPCA says there are no specific requirements for labelling a de-icer as pet safe. Products sold as pet friendly usually contain urea or magnesium chloride, which it describes as usually safer but still able to cause stomach upset. Source: ASPCA, Is it safe to use de-icers around your dog? (22 January 2026).
When to call
The ASPCA says to contact your veterinarian or a poison control service immediately if you think your pet has eaten something toxic. Outside the US, use the poison control directory. Antifreeze is the other winter chemical to know about, and it is far more dangerous: see the seasonal hazards calendar.
Where these facts come from
- ASPCA, Is it safe to use de-icers around your dog? (22 January 2026), read 6 November 2026.
Related pages
Fireworks and pets, Christmas pet safety and everything for dog owners.
