Combat the Effects of Sun on Your Pets

By Henri Hound

I assume everyone has had a serious sunburn at one point in their life. I'm sure you can still remember the pain. I bet you also took safeguards after that time to help decrease the risk of sunburn once more. Why then would we not get these same safeguards with our pets?

It's so much fun once the summer time weather comes. We are likely to devote a great deal more time out of doors than we do the remainder of the calendar year (based on where you live, of course), and of course we want our furry buddies to be with us. It is your responsibility as a pet guardian to make certain you take care of your pet as you would a family members. But don't use human solutions on pets, some ingredients are poisonous to the species. For example zinc (employed in a lot of human products) is poisonous to dogs and causes GI challenges and anemia.

Dogs suffer from the same things as us; sunburns, skin irritations, skin cancers, heat stroke and dehydration as well as sore & burnt feet and especially noses. Some easy sun care tips can help you keep even the most active dog healthier when exposed to the sun.

Animals with thin hair coats, light-colored noses, and white fur are most at threat from sun exposure. A of white fur or areas where the coat is thinner are also at threat. All of them are at danger in areas of the body with less fur, such as the groin and tummy. If your pooch is like Henri, and likes to lie in the sun on his back, you should rub in a slather of sunscreen, specially made for dogs on his belly. Not only will his belly be safer from the sun but you pooch might be giving you a kiss for the scrub!

A dog's nose is highly sensitive and can become quite painful when their tissues are dry, chapped or cracked. A natural nose balm for canines has nourishing, healing and moisturizing components. The soothing balm is typically slathered on your dog's nose as a preventative measure for dryness or cracking or it can be applied to treat painful cracking and dryness that have already occurred. It is like Chapstik for dogs!

Another method of sun protection is covering them up or keeping them within the shade. An idea for camping or at the beach is a little pup tent that won't use up any additional room in your already crowded trunk, will set up in minutes, and will provide much needed shade exactly where nature didn't provide. Light, wet towels are terrific to drape on them when they're laying still, and when you're on the go, a light beach or sun suit will block those nasty UV rays.

The sun is not only harmful to their skin but also can cause damage to their eyes. A dog hat protects your dog's sensitive areas of the face from sun's damage. Or for the more adventurous, dress your pup in Doggles. These cool looking sunglasses have a deep lens cup, flexible frame, and wider nose bridge and comfy head strap. They have 100% UV protection, are shatterproof and anti-fog. Recommended by vets.

Let's not neglect their feet! How often have you hopped across a barking hot parking lot with no shoes on, swearing and hollering. Consider how your little buddy's feet must really feel (and he has twice what you have). If your dog has been swimming a lot or has wet feet from paddling, it softens up his paws and makes hot pavement dangerous. Small dogs should be carried over hot pavement and for larger canines there are beach booties, some are disposable. Booties are designed to lessen the chances of burns and injuries from warmth, cold or rocky terrain. Or keep them in the shade. Walking long distances on pavement or sand is not good for pets in the summer time, make an effort to stay around the grass as much as you can. If their paws do get burnt you can apply a paw balm to help the healing and cool them down.

And often with the strong sun comes the high heat. Way too many pets die each year from ignorant owners leaving their pet confined in cars and other places when the heat is dangerously high. Pets at risk for heat stroke include those with a dense hair coat such as the golden Retrievers, Border Collies, Chows, etc. or ANY pet in direct sunlight for longer than 30 minutes when the temperature is greater than 90F. Make sure you always have water and bowl on hand and try to stay out of the sun between the hours of 10:00 and 2:00. Limit the amount of time you spend in direct sun to 15 to 30 minutes for those dogs easiest to burn. Longer with fur protected dogs, but then watch for heat stroke. Direct sunlight includes lounging on the inside of the porch glass door!

The rule of thumb - when it gets above 85 degrees, you should be cautious when exercising your dog outdoors. For most dogs, moderate activity for 30 minutes is beneficial. But once the temps exceed 95 degrees, it's quite possibly most effective for both of you to leave out the outdoor exercises until it cools down. Make an effort to go for walks or jogs either early inside the day or evening, or make an effort to stay on shaded trails.

When your dog start's to have fast or labored breathing, starts to refuse walking, or acts unhappy, your canine may possibly be overheating. When this happens you should stop, relax, give your canine water and find a cooler place to cool off. Mostly just do for them what would do for your family.

About the Author:

Henri Hound has been an avid pet fanatic his entire life. He has a personal knowledge of just about every form of pet and their secrets. Besides handing out pet tips and tricks, he's also the author of Being Henri - The Life of a Spoiled Weiner Dog and the mascot for Henri the Hound, an awesome online pet store with cool unusual stuff for all your pets.

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