PDSA has issued a warning to pet owners about sunburn as the sun can impact our furry friends too.
Sunburn can be painful for our pets and the skin damage caused by it can lead to cancer.
When the sun is shining, there are ways to protect your pet from the sun’s harmful rays and PDSA’s Vet Nurse Nina Downing explains how.
“The most common places for pets to get sunburnt are their ears, nose, eyelids and tummy,” explains Nina.
She added: “And they are especially at risk if they are light coloured, so ginger or white, or have any thin fur or bald patches.”
How to prevent sunburn for our pets
If it’s sunny enough for you to need to wear suncream then your pets could need protecting too, says Nina.
She has shared three tips to help protect your pet from the sun.
At the hottest part of the day you should keep your pets out of the sun where possible and avoid walking your dog in the middle of hot days when the sun is the strongest.
Instead, walks should be done in the morning and evening but if the day is extremely hot it might be better to not walk them at all that day.
You should not allow your pet to sunbathe in direct sunlight - make sure they have access to plenty of shade.
Trees and shrubs make a good spot of shade for dogs and cats while putting a blanket over rabbit or guinea pig runs can create some shade for them.
If you do opt for a blanket over their run, you’ll need to make sure it has good ventilation and that a breeze is flowing through.
Another way to protect your pets in the sun is by applying sun cream to the areas where your pet’s fur is thin, for example their nose, ear tips and tummy.
Nina says you will need to make sure that the suncream you are using on your pet is pet/child safe, SPF 30 or higher and waterproof.
She says you should apply it to your pet 15 minutes before they are due to go outside and you’ll need to discourage them from licking it off.
As you would do for yourself, you’ll need to reapply the suncream as necessary.
You can find out more information via the PDSA website.
Symptoms of sunburn to look out for
Nina says the symptoms to look out for are:
- Redness
- Crusting
- Flaking
- Itching
- Blisters
- Pain
How to treat your pet’s sunburn
Nina says: “If you spot symptoms of sunburn in your pets, it’s important to know how to treat them."
She adds: “Mild sunburn often heals within a few days. You can help to make your pet feel more comfortable with easy treatment at home.
"Use cold compresses to gently cool your pet’s skin using something like a flannel or towel that has been wet under a cold tap.
“If your pet has sunburn, it’s important to keep them out of direct sunlight until their skin has healed and use sunblock or sun protective clothing for those with exposed skin on their back or sides to protect their skin if they need to go outside.
“If your pet is very sunburnt, or appears to be in pain, you should contact your vet for advice immediately.
"They may offer treatment such as pain relief, anti-bacterial creams and a protective cone collar.”
