There are as many germs on paws as their are on hands. That’s according to the folks who make Pawtizer antibacterial paw wipes. They were developed to protect people and homes from the germs and bacteria that can be tracked in by our dogs. Think about it. Dogs are barefoot down there on the sidewalk, at the dog park, in the pond. Their coats and feet can probably amass quite the zoo by the end of the day.

The manufacturer says the wipes kill an array of microorganisms, including bacteria, mold and fungus, that can make people and other pets sick. Not only that, your dog can be exposed to your bacteria, which can colonize on Fido and be transmitted back to you.

These 9″ moist wipes kill 99.9% of germs in one swipe without the drying effects of alcohol. They come in a “can” with a flip-top lid, or a  spray. The active ingredient, benzalkonium chloride (BAC), an ingredient widely used in the healthcare industry in topical antiseptic sprays. It is alcohol-free, which I appreciate. I even swiped the wipe over a cut on my hand to see if it would sting. It did a tiny bit, but so little I had to try it several times to detect the sting. I think a dog would tolerate these wipes even it there was a cut that the owner did not know about. Not so for an alcohol-based wipe.

The wipes themselves are about 9″ square. They’re soft, but very strong, so if your dog has rough pads, they will not tear up this wipe until the job is done. They’re soft, unlike some of the antibacterial wipes for humans, some of which feel like butcher paper. And the fragrance, while “antiseptic-y” is not strong, so it should not be too offensive to canine noses. The home page of the website implies that it should be used on paws, coat and noses, but to keep it out of mouths and eyes. I see how there would be germs around the mouth and on the nose. The more I think about THAT, the more I think it’s at least as germy a region as the feet would be. I sort of cringed at the thought of wiping this towelette on a dog’s sensitive nose. I wiped it all over my nose and it did leave a scent behind, but once it dried (in seconds, the scent was nearly gone). I know a dog’s sense of smell is a lot stronger than mine, but I think if I were to wipe over the nose once, my dog would forgive me.

The can they come in has a flip-top lid for resealing. Inside, it has a gadget the dispenses one towelette at a time. As a mom of three kids ages six and under, I know my wipes. One pet peeve I have is opening a can of wipes to find that they’ve dried out since the last time I opened them (I have them squirreled all over the house and car, so it can be a while between uses for any one can). This can has been open for two months, and the wipes have lost no moisture. You could throw the can into your dog park bag, “going to grandma’s” bag, or car and it should last quite a while (although during a hot summer, there may be some normal evaporation).

The price is very reasonable (see below). If you have a small or medium-sized dog whose feet are not muddy, one wipe should be enough for all four feet. So for eight bucks, you should have enough to last through a year’s worth of bi-weekly dog park trips. A nice product that I wish I’d thought of.

Wipes, 100 ct – $7.99

Wipes, 45-ct – $5.99

Spray, 8 oz – $4.99

Buy them at http://www.pawtizer.com/