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What is Dog Sunscreen?
Like sunscreen for humans, dog sunscreen is designed to keep dogs protected from harmful UV rays. Most dog sunscreens are made from natural ingredients like aloe vera that protect your dog while keeping them moisturized. The best sunscreens are non-greasy and tasteless.
Dogs and humans have a lot in common when it comes to the sun. A dog’s skin can be damaged by the sun just like our own. They can suffer from sunburn and cancer. Dogs can also develop heat stroke from excessive sun exposure on a hot day. A dog’s hair or fur protects their skin, just like our hair protects the tops of our heads in those of us that have it. However, if a dog’s skin is exposed to significant amounts of sunlight, their skin can also become red and inflamed. To help dog owners keep their pups safe while outside, Dr. Jerry Klein, Chief Veterinary Officer for the AKC, provides tips for sun protection.
Sunscreen Is Key
Certain types or breeds of dogs, such as those with short or no coats and dogs that have little pigment such as white dogs, are more susceptible to sun sensitivity and sunburn. Sunscreen should be strongly considered in those susceptible breeds if they are outside for any period of time in strong sunlight.
The safest and most effective sunscreen to put on your dogs is one that is specifically designed for canine use. You should never use any other type of sunscreen on your pet without your veterinarian’s approval, and never apply tanning lotions or oils to your pet. You can also purchase a fragrance-free sunscreen formulated for babies and children with an SPF of 15 or higher at the local drugstore. But it’s extremely important to read the labels on baby sunscreen before applying it to pets. Never use sunscreen containing zinc oxide or PABA on a pet. They may lick their skin and accidentally ingest these toxic ingredients in the sunscreen.
If a dog has to be outdoors during peak sun exposure hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), sunscreen should be reapplied to sun-sensitive areas of the body—around the top of the muzzle near the nose, around the lips, the tips of the ears, and the underside of the chest and belly periodically throughout the day. Also, if the dog has gone swimming, or gotten wet, sunscreen should be immediately reapplied, just as in humans.
Yes, but make sure you're using sunscreen that's specially made for dogs. Any of the sunscreens included in this list are safe and approved for use on dogs.
Yes, you should put dog sunscreen on your dog. Like humans, the sun can damage your dog's skin and they require protection.
Yes, any sunscreen on this list is safe for your dog. Consider purchasing an all-natural canine sunscreen so you know it's safe and non-toxic.
No sunscreen containing zinc oxide or PABA should ever be used on a pet. They may lick their skin and accidentally ingest these toxic ingredients in the sunscreen.
Put sunscreen around the top of the dog's muzzle near the nose, around the lips, the tips of the ears, and the underside of the chest and belly periodically throughout the day.
