Can My Pet Get Sunburnt?

Now that summer is right around the corner we are spending more time outside as are our animals. Whether your cat loves to lie in the sun, your dog likes to go on long walks on the beach, or your horse prefers to spend his days talking sunlit strolls, sunburn is always lurking around the corner. What many of us do not realize is how susceptible our furry friends are to this common occurrence in humans. In reality we should not be surprised, they are mammals afterall and have similar skin problems that many humans also suffer.

Prevention:

Always have shaded areas for your animal. Trees, covered spots, or blinds will do the trick. As much as they may enjoy hanging out under that big ball of fire in the sky, their time doing so should be limited.

Using a pet-friendly sunscreen is a great way to help prevent sunburn. There are a select few on the market available or you can make your own using essential oils, check out various recipes online or go to your residential veterinary naturopath.

Clothing, though it may sound silly, is a great way to help protect your pet. It provides that extra layer of protection that we already have while working outside. Be careful to watch for overheating though, as it will also insulate the heat coming down.

Keep trips out in the sun to a reasonable amount of time. The longer these guys are out without protection, the more likely they are to get burnt. The most susceptible areas are the belly, groin, inner thigh, ears, and nose. Fido most definitely appreciates a good sunning on his belly; just make sure he’s not overdoing it.

Some breeds and colors are more susceptible to sunburn than others. For instance, light haired animals tend to burn easier than dark haired. Those without an undercoat are also higher on that list. It is especially important to monitor those animals who spend their days in the water as they too have an increased risk to burn.

Similar to humans, a proper diet loaded with certain ingredients helps prevent sunscreen. Lycopene, polyphenols, and carotenoids are all imperative when it comes to natural sun protection. A diet consisting of red and orange veggies and rich with berries will satisfy most of those needs.

Before going on that ten mile walk with the dog, letting the cat sun on the porch, or putting your horse out to pasture without a tree in sight, think twice! Make sure there are options for shade and that your guy has plenty of water to keep him cool. Tanning is no longer cool for humans and it certainly has never been for animals, so lets keep it that way!

Photo Credits:
Israel – sun rays via photopin (license)
Roxy(: via photopin (license)
IMG_0955s via photopin (license)