Can Pets Get Sunburned?
YES. Pets can absolutely get sunburned. Whether you and your pet are going on a walk through the neighborhood, hiking in the mountains, playing frisbee on the beach or just “sunbathing” in the windowsill, you need to be very careful to protect your pet from the sun.
While some sunlight is healthy for pet, just like it is for us, too much sun can be harmful.
Pets most at risk:
- Short-hair dog breeds, such as Dalmatians and Greyhounds
- Pale dogs
- White cats
- Hairless pets, such as the Sphynx cat
Be especially careful with breeds that are predisposed to cancer, such as boxers and Weimaraners.
Body parts most often affected:
- Tips of the ears
- Bridge of the nose
- Abdomen
- Groin
- Insides of the legs
- Bellies (since the sun reflects off the sidewalk)
To keep pets safe from sunburns, the best thing is to avoid going outside during the peak sun hours (9am to 3pm). Of course, this isn’t always a convenient limitation, so another thing you can do is apply non-toxic, water-resistant sunscreen to small, susceptible areas on the pet.
Since pets may lick off the sunscreen, it’s not always effective. One more option is to make your pet wear a t-shirt (or a doggy bodysuit at the beach) to shield him from the sun.
June 1st, 2008 at 5:12 am
Not only can your pets get sunburned, but they can also get heat stroke. Please take precautions to protect your pet by be sure your furry four legged friend is cool.
June 9th, 2008 at 8:00 am
A nice tip that works for our Yellow Lab is: before his midday walk, (since the sun is at its strongest then), we allow our dog to swim for a few minutes in the pool. After his short swim, we take our short walk to allow him enough time to do his business. This walk is not long, but relieves him. He is not over heated, and he has fun in the pool. By the time we return from our walk, he is mostly dry. Drying him after that is easy. This is also great for us to bond and spend time together. This is not ideal for the busy schedule of many people who work all day, but it is a great plan to have for weekends! If you do not have a pool, perhaps you can play with the hose for a few minutes (mind local water restrictions if any). Always have fresh water inside- our Lab enjoys ice in his water or ice as a treat!
We bought him doggie sunscreen at the vets and apply it to his nose every morning. He does lick some off, but we rub it in really well and reapply as needed. Our Lab is happy, healthy and we always make sure to look for signs of distress in the heat. We take a much longer walk once in the early morning and once again at dusk.
June 11th, 2008 at 10:02 am
My Rat Terrier is obsessed with laying in the sun. I don’t have a pool, but I bought one of those little turtle sandboxes that are for kids and I keep that filled with fresh water at all times in the summer. He has a ton of energy and is constantly running around so I didn’t want him to overheat himself. He loves it!! Thanks for sharing about the doggie sunscreen. I noticed his belly definetly changes color in the sun, so I will now look into purchasing some doggie sunscreen!