4 Practical Advices to Protect your Pets from Skin Damage due to Excessive Sunlight

4 Practical Advices to protect from skin damage

Generally, it has been observed that pets do pretty well when exposed to sunlight. But are you aware that pets under extensive exposure can also get skin cancer as they are susceptible to sun damage. Extreme sun exposure is extremely harmful and can lead to sunburn and skin cancer in your pets. Hairy pets are safe under sun exposure as they have hair to protect them from sun damage. But think about hairless pet breeds like Sphynx and Mexican dogs. They are highly susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer.

In addition to this, it needs to be observed that pets with hair too are in danger to the sun’s harmful rays. There are certain body parts of pets that have little to no hair on them. These areas include belly, nose, lips, ears, and eyelids. Even if your pet has light skin and short or thin hair, it may lead to skin cancer if they spend most of their time outdoors. Let us look at some handy advices that will go a long way in ensuring that your pet is protected from skin damage due to excessive sunlight:

Keep your pets indoor during the hottest part of the day
It is very important for you as a pet parent to understand that the time frame between 10 AM to 3 PM the entire year is very critical for your outdoor pets. If they are exposed to sunlight irrespective of the season it will have a lethal effect on the health of your pet. Hence, always ensure that your pet is in the backyard for the most of the time mentioned above. Also, you need to make certain of the fact that shade is provided in the area where your pet stays during these hours.

Keep your pet’s fur long enough to protect them from sun
While cutting the fur of your pet it is important to understand that if you keep a good amount of fur on your pet’s body it will help them overcome the excessive sunlight damage. If your pet has at least half-an-inch of fur, it is highly unlikely that sunburn would ever occur to them. But, if you have shaved the fur completely from the body of your pet, then you need to be extra careful about exposing the pet to the sun.

Develop a customized bodysuit for your pets to block ultraviolet rays and prevent sunburn
It has been found that the most widespread UV-induced tumor in pets is Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC). It is a locally developing tumor that only tends to spread very late in the disease course. It has often been observed that it accounts for 50% of skin tumors in cats. The only cure for it is surgical resection of the affected sites or even cryosurgery. Hence, the best way to avoid this disease is to buy full-body pet sunsuit. Also, make sure that it blocks UV radiation from entering the pet’s body. It is especially for those pets that spend a lot of time outdoors.

Use sunscreen on your pet to protect from direct sunlight
If it is unavoidable to keep your pet indoor during peak hours as well as finding it difficult to dress your pet in a customized bodysuit as mentioned above, then we suggest you to try pet sunscreen. Apply it on your pet’s ear tips, nose and other delicate areas vulnerable to sun damage. But at all costs see that you do not let the cream get into their eyes. There are certain ingredients like zinc oxide, Octyl Salicylate, Homosalate, and Ethylhexyl Salicylate present in certain sunscreen creams and lotions that can be very toxic if ingested by your pet. Hence, it is always recommended to check with your veterinary physician before purchasing sunscreen for your pet.

Try these things to protect your pet from skin diseases occurring due to over-exposure of sun. If you find something suspicious on the pet skin take the help of your veterinary immediately.

So, start protecting your pets from the damaging rays of the sun today!!