Enjoying warm summer heat outdoors is indeed a delightful experience. You are most likely to take your pet along with you on a vacation. But have you ever wondered how your pet would manage to cope with the glare and heat? While you stretch on a beach, dabbing generous amounts of sunscreen lotion on your body and looking through your tinted glasses, your poor pet simply whimpers and looks for shady corners. If you assumed that the fur of your dog is capable of protecting him from all sorts of weather, you are completely wrong. Your dog is as much prone to getting sunburns as you are. A good quality dog sunscreen can protect the delicate skin of your dog from sunburns.

Why Do You Need a Sunscreen for Dogs

Sunburns are more visible on the human body as the skin changes its appearance. First, there is tanning, then you get blisters and eventually, there is a damage to an underlying tissue. The stages of sunburn occur in a similar way in dogs, except there is no blistering. The dog's skin gets red and inflamed if exposed to the sun for a long time. Dogs with very thin coat are more susceptible to sunburns. Similarly dogs with pale fur color are also equally likely to get sunburns. Dogs with thick, long hair are better protected from sun damage as compared to other dogs. However, this does not ensure that the dog is safe from sunburns. The fur does not cover the mouth, nose, tips of ear, belly and groin area, thereby exposing these delicate parts to the sun. Hence, sunscreen for dog's nose, ear tips and belly is a must. Even the glare reflecting from pavements and other such surfaces is capable of inducing sunburn in dogs. Besides, some dogs have a habit of lying down on their back with legs up in the air. This can expose the belly to sun damage even in the most hairy of all dog breeds. Too much of sun exposure puts your dog at a risk of dog skin cancer.

Can You Use Human Sunscreen on Dogs

No, you cannot use human sunscreen for dogs as it contains many ingredients which can be potentially dangerous to your dog. Since, your dog is least likely to understand why you dab sunscreen on his body, he is most likely to lick it away. The ingestion of human sunscreen can be extremely fatal to dogs. Since, dogs are often small, even ingestion of little amounts of these harmful substances can prove to be detrimental for your dog. The ingredients like silicone and para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) are particularly dangerous when consumed by a dog. This is the reason why sunscreens meant for dogs are especially formulated without these ingredients.

What to Look for in a Dog Sunscreen

Ingredients is the first thing you should look for while buying dog sunscreen. Ingredients should be capable of protecting the dog from UVA as well as UVB radiation. Hence, a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more, is the best sunscreen for pooches. Opting for a waterproof sunscreen is also a good idea considering the possibility of your dog getting wet. Sunscreen free from PABA, silicone, zinc oxide makes for a safe sunscreen for dogs. Some pet supply stores may sell what they claim to be a natural sunscreen. Although, you may go through the reviews available on the Internet, you should perhaps settle for Epi-Pet Sun Protector Sunscreen Spray, as it is the only product approved by FDA. If you do not find a good sunscreen for your dog, you may as well go for sunscreen formulated especially for babies. Baby sunscreens are mild and have no harmful ingredients, hence suitable for dogs. While applying or spraying sunscreen on dogs, make sure the dog does not inhale it. Also prevent the sunscreen from entering his eyes, nose or ears. After applying it, keep an eye on the dog until the sunscreen gets absorbed in the skin.

Thus, dog sunscreen is the best way to protect your pooch from the torturous heat of sun. If you are unable to find a suitable sunscreen for him, make sure you wrap him in clothes while taking him outdoors.