Does your pet tend to ingest snow or very cold water, and you wonder if this could be harmful to him? Here’s the lowdown.

Many dogs tend to eat snow when they play in it. This behaviour is less common in cats, but they do sometimes drink very cold water. Beware, these behaviours can potentially be harmful to your four-legged friends: there is a risk of gastritis, and you should also beware of snow salt poisoning.

Swallowing snow or very cold water can cause stomach pains and irritate the digestive tract. Repeated ingestion can lead to diarrhoea and gastritis (with vomiting), which can develop into gastric ulcers. It is therefore best to divert your pet’s attention if you catch him eating snow, by offering him a toy or possibly a treat. Don’t forget to offer your pet water, perhaps it is thirsty.

Another risk in winter is the ingestion of road salt. The salt that is applied to the roads when the temperature drops is often made of sodium chloride (our table salt) or a mixture of salt and calcium chloride. The latter makes the salt more effective. Snow removal salt, which is perhaps not as environmentally friendly as one might think, is generally used as a preventive measure: it prevents the snow from sticking to the ground and the snow from icing up. Salt can cause skin irritation if it comes into contact with the skin for a long time, so it is advisable to rinse your pet’s paws after a walk. It is also possible that your four-legged friend ingests de-icing salt (by swallowing snow for example). Be careful, this could lead to digestive problems but also to intoxication with the appearance of neurological or renal problems. Finally, salt ingestion can considerably increase drinking intake, which can lead, especially in large dogs, to a stomach dilatation/torsion syndrome.

If in doubt, contact your vet.