The winter brings constant stress on the dog’s paws. Road salt and rolled chippings are part of it. Both substances attack dog paws and cause discomfort and pain. In addition, if you are not careful, it can lead to health problems such as snow gastritis.
If the animals are not wearing special dog shoes, dog paws are in constant contact with road salt and loose chippings as soon as they walk on sidewalks. The salt gets between the toes and irritates the sensitive skin there. Depending on how thick the salt is applied, it can also get into the balls of the toes and cause irritation there.
The combination of road salt, sharp-edged loose chippings and possibly also sharp crusts of ice can injure the paw and cause wounds. The dogs begin limping, holding up the leg with the affected paw, and refusing to walk any further. At home, the dog will lick its paw and irritate the sore spots enough to cause inflammation. In the worst case, it can lead to eczema. Any further contact with grit becomes a torment. The salt dries out the paw even more, so that the cracks in it become deeper and more aggressive salt and loose chippings can penetrate.
As soon as the dog shows any symptoms of discomfort, it is imperative that it leave the littered area and its paws must be carefully cleaned. It is best to avoid any stretches that have been gritted from now on.