I think everyone has had a really bad sunburn at some time in their life. I'm sure you can remember the pain. I bet you also took precautions after that time to help reduce the risk of a sunburn again. Why then would we not take those same precautions with our dog?
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 the same as us; sunburns, skin irritations, skin cancers, heat stroke and dehydration, also add in there sore & burnt feet and sunburned noses. Some easy sun care tips can guide you keep even the most active dog healthier when exposed to the sun.
Dogs with thin hair coats, light-colored noses, and white fur are most at risk from sun exposure. Dogs with areas of white fur or areas where the coat is thinner are also at risk. All dogs are at risk in areas of the body with less fur, such as the groin and belly. If your pooch is like Henri and likes to lie in the sun on his back, you should give him a slather of sunscreen specially made for dogs. Not only will his belly be safer from the sun but you pooch will be loving you for the scrub!
A dog's nose is highly sensitive and can become very painful when their tissues are dry, chapped or cracked. A natural nose balm for dogs has nourishing, healing and moisturizing ingredients. The soothing balm can be applied to a dog's nose as a preventative measure for dryness or cracking or it can be used to treat painful cracking and dryness that has already occurred. It's like Chapstik for dogs!
Covering them up or keeping them in the shade is great when sitting around. An idea for camping or the beach is a little pup tent, it's easy to pack, will set up in minutes, and will some great shade that nature didn't provide. Light, wet towels are fantastic too, drape them on when you're hanging at the beach. A nice light beach shirt will block those nasty UV rays, and keep your pup looking sharp.
The sun is not only harmful to their pores and 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 even more adventurous, dress your pup in Doggles. These cool looking sunglasses are equipped with a deep lens cup, flexible frame, a wider nose bridge and comfy head strap. They have 100% UV protection, are shatterproof and anti-fog. And they're 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 good. But when the temps exceed 95 degrees, it's probably best for both of you to leave out the outdoor exercises until it cools down. Try to go for walks or jogs either early in the day or evening, or try 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.
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 the same as us; sunburns, skin irritations, skin cancers, heat stroke and dehydration, also add in there sore & burnt feet and sunburned noses. Some easy sun care tips can guide you keep even the most active dog healthier when exposed to the sun.
Dogs with thin hair coats, light-colored noses, and white fur are most at risk from sun exposure. Dogs with areas of white fur or areas where the coat is thinner are also at risk. All dogs are at risk in areas of the body with less fur, such as the groin and belly. If your pooch is like Henri and likes to lie in the sun on his back, you should give him a slather of sunscreen specially made for dogs. Not only will his belly be safer from the sun but you pooch will be loving you for the scrub!
A dog's nose is highly sensitive and can become very painful when their tissues are dry, chapped or cracked. A natural nose balm for dogs has nourishing, healing and moisturizing ingredients. The soothing balm can be applied to a dog's nose as a preventative measure for dryness or cracking or it can be used to treat painful cracking and dryness that has already occurred. It's like Chapstik for dogs!
Covering them up or keeping them in the shade is great when sitting around. An idea for camping or the beach is a little pup tent, it's easy to pack, will set up in minutes, and will some great shade that nature didn't provide. Light, wet towels are fantastic too, drape them on when you're hanging at the beach. A nice light beach shirt will block those nasty UV rays, and keep your pup looking sharp.
The sun is not only harmful to their pores and 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 even more adventurous, dress your pup in Doggles. These cool looking sunglasses are equipped with a deep lens cup, flexible frame, a wider nose bridge and comfy head strap. They have 100% UV protection, are shatterproof and anti-fog. And they're 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 good. But when the temps exceed 95 degrees, it's probably best for both of you to leave out the outdoor exercises until it cools down. Try to go for walks or jogs either early in the day or evening, or try 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 enthusiastic pet fanatic his whole life. He has in-depth knowledge of pretty much every form of pet and their behaviors. Besides offering pet tips and tricks, he is also author of the blog Being Henri - The Life of a Spoiled Weiner Dog and is also the mascot of Henri the Hound, the place to go for cool pet stuff.
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