Although I’ve been a dog owner my whole life, it’s never occurred to me that my dogs needed protection from the sun. If it’s never occurred to you either – dogs get skin cancer too. I recently learned this first-hand, and now I want other dog owners to be aware.
My Vizsla Lucy loves to sunbathe, and a few weeks ago I noticed some odd spots on her abdomen. At first they looked like tiny bruises, but over time transformed to look more like moles (but bloody in color). My vet recommended that we remove them, so we scheduled surgery and had the spots sent off for testing. When they called with the lab results, I was told that Lucy’s tumors tested positive for skin hemangiosarcoma. I was glad to know that removing the spots was action enough to remove the cancerous cells, but now I have to protect her from the sun to prevent more spots… and now my little redhead is wearing doggy sunscreen (welcome to the club, Lucy). Yes, you read that correctly, Dog Sunscreen is a thing.
If your dog “sunbathes” belly-up like my Lucy, you might consider getting some, as the tummy is particularly sensitive to excessive UV light. The skin that’s most important to protect is anything light-colored – like a nose, ears, or the soft underbelly/inner thigh area.
Please note: If you’re going to protect your dog with sunscreen, it’s important to know that you CANNOT use sunscreen made for humans. Most of them contain zinc oxide, which is toxic to dogs.
Barque is proud to now stock the only FDA compliant dog sunscreen formula. It’s easy to apply, non-greasy and dries quickly, so even if your pet licks the applied area, it won’t harm them. This sunscreen is also water and sweat resistant, which makes it great for beach or lake dogs. Maufacturer’s instructions recommend that you apply the sunscreen every 2-4 hours if the pet is outside or is in the water for more than 80 minutes. This sunblock is ideal for Boxers, Bull Dogs, Pit Bull Terriers, Bichons, Poodles, Schnauzers, Dobermans, Retrievers and any pups who like to sun belly-up. Get yours today in-store or on our website.
{You can see this product featured on the TODAY show here.}
