Taking care of a dog requires being aware of many factors: its diet, education, rest, company… A person who assumes the responsibility of welcoming a little furry dog at home must do so with the full guarantee of being prepared for it. Taking care of your health is always important and in summer it is no exception, especially due to the impact of the sun and the increase in temperatures.
Direct exposure to ultraviolet rays can be harmful to a dog’s skin, just as it is to our skin. Therefore, if you are wondering if sunscreen for dogs is really necessary , at OneHOWTO we recommend that you continue reading this article. You will not only discover if it is necessary to use it, but also how the product and its application should be.
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Index
- Do dogs need sunscreen?
- How should a sunscreen for dogs be?
- When and how to apply sunscreen to my dog
- Other ways to protect a dog from the sun
Do dogs need sunscreen?
Questioning whether you can put sunscreen on a dog as it happens with human beings is something common in those people who take care of one or several. They certainly do, because dogs get sunburned . Although their fur offers them protection against ultraviolet radiation, dogs have parts of their bodies with less hair.
In these sparsely furred body areas, they are more sensitive to sun exposure. The snout, abdomen, and ears are some of those parts. In addition, dogs with short, fine hair and light colors are naturally more prone to skin burns because the rays strike more easily. It should also be borne in mind that there are breeds of dogs with no hair or with very little hair, so their skin is much more exposed to the sun and the environment in general.
Therefore, the use of sunscreen in dogs is very important, especially if you know that yours is going to spend many hours in the sun. Sunburn can cause various physical damage to dogs and, in the worst case, trigger diseases such as skin cancer .
How should a sunscreen for dogs be?
You may be wondering what sunscreen dogs can use. The truth is that it is as important to use sunscreen for dogs as the quality of the product. Under appropriate conditions, you can apply a good protector for human use as long as it contains a protection greater than 30 and is free in its composition of substances that are harmful to dogs such as PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) or zinc.
However, there are currently specific sunscreens for dogs on the market, manufactured to respect the pH of canine skin. In addition, they are hypoallergenic. Even so, before buying a sunscreen for dogs, it is a good idea to consult your veterinarian so that they can recommend the best sunscreen for your dog’s skin.
Another aspect to consider is the importance of reading the ingredients with which sunscreen for dogs has been made before buying it. Some substances are especially harmful to the animal, so they should be avoided in the sunscreen that you apply .
In the OneHOWTO article on Heat Stroke in Dogs: Symptoms and Treatment we teach you how to prevent and treat heat stroke in dogs.
When and how to apply sunscreen to my dog
The million dollar question now is how to put sunscreen on my dog. It may seem more complicated than it really is. In any case, at OneHOWTO we want to help you achieve it with the following recommendations:
- Do not use an excessive amountbecause the product is only effective if your furry little one’s skin manages to absorb it correctly. You should also keep in mind that if you apply too much sunscreen, they may lick or even ingest the product.
- Apply sunscreen exclusively to the most sensitive areasexposed to radiation. They will be the parts of the body with the least amount of hair, such as the tips of the ears, around the snout, the abdomen or the rear areas of the legs.
- Apply the specific sunscreen for dogs before going for a walkin areas where there is a high incidence of radiation.
- Read and follow the recommendations of each manufacturer. Most creams and sunscreens for dogs should be applied periodically because it loses its effectiveness approximately two hours after its application.
- Observe your furry’s skinfrequently to check that it does not suffer from any sunburn. You should be alert if you detect a reddening of the most sensitive body areas of the dog after it has spent several hours exposed to the sun.
Other ways to protect a dog from the sun
In addition to the use of sunscreen, there are other ways to protect your dog from high exposure to ultraviolet rays. These are some of them:
- Avoid walks with your furry little one in the hottest hoursof the day or when solar radiation is very intense.
- Maintain its coat: do not cut it excessively for aesthetic reasons, since one of its great functions is to keep it protected from the sun.
- You can also opt for thin t-shirts, designed specifically for dogs. The main objective of these shirts is to protect the dog from the sun by preventing radiation from penetrating the canine skin. You can find them in specialized stores.
Now that you have learned all this about caring for your dog’s skin in the sun, we encourage you to discover more about caring for your dog’s skin by reading this OneHOWTO article on Aloe vera for dog skin: benefits and how to apply it .
