Protecting Your Dog With Pet Sunscreen

Yesterday our Goldendoodle Quinley, (pictured in the first image below), decided it was about time to visit our pet hospital again. Yep, she chased a cat through our backyard to the far end of our property and ended up running straight into an old tomato cage which was unfortunately on its side, sharp end exposed. Normally she’s not allowed back there, but when there’s a cat involved…there’s kind of no stopping her.

Long story short, I had to carefully pry the sharp end of the cage out of her snout while being more panicked than I’ve ever been in my life. Honestly I don’t know how I got it out without ripping her face off.

photo: A Doggy Tale

Luckily she wasn’t hurt too bad. I think I was freaked out more than she was.

Anyhow, I took her to our pet hospital and while waiting for the vet techs to finish cleaning her, I overheard the receptionist speaking with someone on the phone about pet sunscreen.

“Yes, the vet recommends Epi-Pet Sun Protector Spray for Pets“, the receptionist said. “No, it’s not sold at any pet stores, it’s only sold onlineright now.”

My ears perked up because Kevin and I have long been curious about how we should be protecting Quinley in the sun.

So after speaking with my vet and doing some further research, I thought why not make today’s post about protecting your dog with pet sunscreen.

Most people assume that a good majority of dogs are already protected from the sun because they have fur. But this is not so. Turns out, dogs do need sunscreen. Same as with humans, overexposure to UV rays can give your dog a sunburn, possible peeling skin, and painful inflammation. Such exposure can also increase the risk of skin cancer.

While fur does provide some protection to much of a dog’s body, the bridge of the nose, ear tips, skin surrounding the lips, and areas lacking pigmentation are still vulnerable. In addition, if you shave your dog or if they have suffered hair loss due to illness or medical treatment, the exposed skin is at risk as well.

Even with fur, your doggy still needs protection from the sun as damaging rays can penetrate their fur, especially if they’re light in color, or if their fur is a short length, or naturally fine in texture. And take note, some breeds are at a higher risk of skin cancer so be sure to check with your vet about what you should be doing.

Like their humans, pets should have sunblock applied to the sun-sensitive areas mentioned above or any areas that typically have sparse hair coverage. Be sure to coat the belly as many dogs, (including our Quinley), love to roll over and bathe in the sun with their bellies up and legs spread out.

While you may be tempted to use “people” sunscreen on your doggy, don’t do it. The problem with using your sunscreen on your fur-baby is that pet skin is not the same as human skin and may have a different degree of UV sensitivity. Also, some ingredients in human sunscreens, such as PABA, can be irritating – or even toxic – to animals.

Another issue you may run into if your dog is a couch dog like ours, many human sunscreens are oily and will stain upholstery if your dog stretches out for a snooze on the sofa after your fun day out in the sun.

Using sunscreen on your dog has been recognized by both the American Animal Hospital Association and the American College of Veterinary Dermatology. And obviously my vet recommends using Epi-Pet Sun Protector Spray for Pets.

So, whether it’s providing shade for your pup while you’re out and about this summer, or using recommended sunscreen…be sure your dog is protected from the sun in whatever way you can!

Thanks for stopping by!