Q: Icy sidewalk season is here. I’ve heard rock salt is hard on dogs’ feet, but I’m not sure what to use in its place. Can you suggest a de-icer that won’t harm my dogs? A: Look for de-icers labeled as safe for pets. These products are also safe to use around children. Rock salt and other salt-based de-icers contain sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride that can irritate dogs’ feet. If your dogs walk on surfaces sprinkled with salt and then lick their feet, or lick the treated sidewalk itself, they’ll swallow the salt, which may cause vomiting and diarrhea. The same thing can happen if they drink from puddles that contain salt. Worse, if your dogs eat the salt-based de-icer from an open container, they can develop mouth and stomach ulcers, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, tremors, and seizures. Rock salt is so corrosive it …