How to protect your pet's skin from the sun

If you suspect that your pet has severe sunburn or appears to be in pain please contact your vet or their out of hours veterinary care provider immediately to arrange an urgent appointment.

Background

Sunburn is a painful and avoidable consequence of over exposure to harmful UV rays and a fur coat does not guarantee full protection from these harmful rays.

Unfortunately repeated overexposure to sun over time can increase the risk of your pet developing serious health problems such as certain types of skin cancers and increased   discomfort in pets with some autoimmune disorders and dermatitis. If you notice dark patches of scabby, non-healing wounds on exposed areas of skin such as eyelids, ear tips and nose you should schedule a visit with your veterinarian within a few days.

Those more at risk of developing sunburn are pets with lighter coloured or white coats, hairless or thin coated pets. Dog breeds of higher risk include Chinese crested dogs, Mexican hairless chihuahua, Boxers, Weimaraners, Collies, Whippets, Greyhounds, Dalmations, French bulldogs and Bull terriers and higher risk cat breeds includes Devon rex, white coated and Sphinx.

Signs of sunburn:

-        Reddened skin

-        Ear tips and edges may appear swollen

-        Ear twitching

-        Itching

-        Blisters to the paw pads

-        Pain

-        Scabby or crusting skin

-        Flaking skin

-        Lethargy

-        Shivering

Homecare

If your pet returns home and a small area of skin is slightly reddened it is good to gently place a             cool compress to the localised area to relieve the pain and inflammation. Do not rub or scrub the     affected skin with the compress. Cool compresses can be made at home by adding cool water to a     tea towel.

Do not use ice cubes as a method of cooling the affected skin.

Avoid your pet being in direct sunlight until the area in question has healed and returned to         normal skin colour.

Severe sunburn will require an urgent visit to your veterinarian in order for your pet to be     assessed and receive the most appropriate medical care.

Prevention

Exercise: 

Walk your pet in the early mornings and late evenings. Remember that the sun is at its strongest between 11am - 4pm.

Avoid walking on tarmac during hot weather to reduce that chance of pets burning their paw pads.

Avoid your pet sunbathing in the direct sunlight.

Ensure to provide many sources of cool shade and fresh water.

Check the weather forecast and if possible, keep your pet inside during periods of high UV exposure. 

Sunblock:

Do not use sunscreen for humans as they can contain ingredients that are toxic to pets, such as zinc oxide and PABA(para-aminobenzoic acid). Pet friendly sunscreen is widely available online and in some pet stores

Before using sunblock, test it on a small area of skin for 24 hours.

Directly supervise your pet for 10 minutes after applying the sunblock to allow for it to be fully absorbed and to avoid them licking off and ingesting it.

Apply two thin layers of an unscented, waterproof and pet safe SPF30+ sunblock to the at-risk areas of your pet at least 15 minutes before going outside and reapply this every four hours during sunny periods. If your pet has been swimming, reapply more frequently.

Areas where their fur/skin is white (unpigmented) or thinner include: the bridge of the nose, skin around the lips, ear tips, tip of the tail, tummy and inner thighs.  

Pet safe sunscreen wipes can be used as an alternative.

Invest in appropriate sun protective clothing for your pet.