Thursday, May 13, 2010

Sunscreen for Pets

May is National Skin Cancer Awareness month, which got me thinking about our dogs and the amount of time they spend outdoors. Our dogs spend a lot of time outdoors during the warmer months we usually take our walks during times when the sun is at its hottest. I have been researching the use of sunscreen on pets that spend a lot of time outdoors and the risk of sunburn and skin cancer.

Pets that are prone to sunburn and skin cancer are those with light colored noses, pets with thin or short fur, or with missing fur in the groin area, inside legs and abdomen. Collies and other breeds of dogs with no pigment in their noses can develop nasal solar dermatitis, which is caused by hypersensitivity to the sun. Cats with white ears are susceptible to burning the tips and edge of their ears. Sunburn in pets can appear as red skin and can exasperate or irritate existing skin conditions.

The two most important tips to prevent sunburn are to provide sun block and shade. When the pet is outside, they should always have access to a shaded area and water to lower the risk of sunstroke and sunburn. Shading can come from leaving a pet in an area with a shelter, trees or you may purchase a sunblock top to put over pet’s area.

To protect your pet, you may also apply sunscreen on susceptible areas. There are some specifically created for pets, but you may also use a baby sunscreen as an option. Most human sunscreens have ingestion warnings because the ingredients may be toxic to a child or pet that ingests them. If your pet is likely to lick the sunscreen, look for pet specific products. The sunscreen should be fragrance free and should be applied liberally and should be reapplied every 4 – 6 hours.

Sunscreen should fragrance free, contain UV (A & B) barriers. Apply it liberally to the bridge of the nose, ear tips, around the lips, the belly, and the groin area, especially if you cat or dog likes to bask in the sun belly up. Keep in mind though that some protective ingredients like Octyl Salicylate, Homosalate and Ethylhexyl Salicylate may be toxic to cats.

Just to be safe, we will discuss this with our vet to see what she recommends because we want to protect them, but we also want to choose something safe.

www.outofthedoghousect.com

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