Here in Australia, we are fully aware of the damage that our powerful sun can do to our own skin, and even to our own lives ... but sadly we rarely think about the damage it can do to our dogs.
If your dog is smooth/short-coated, light skinned, or has exposed pink patches anywhere - nose, top-side, under-side or any exposed area - he or she needs protection from the damaging UV rays that will assail it from above and below (via reflected light, and when it is basking adrorably belly-up) when you take it out on those vital and enjoyable walks.
Pale and short-hair dogs are particularly prone to sunburn, especially on the nose, abdomen, groin, and inside of the legs. Being close to the ground, they are affected by both downward sunlight, and by sun reflecting up from the ground.
Certain breeds, including Boxers, Weimaraners and light-coated Great Danes are predisposed to cancer and need extra protection from sunburn and UV rays to help prevent skin cancer.
We highly recommend that you protect your loved one with Sun Screen - it sounds laughable, and it can be a real chore - but we've heard too may heart-breaking stories of dogs contracting skin cancer before their third birthday!
It can be embarassing applying this product on the underside (believe me, having an intact male great dane with heavily dangly jewels, I know the amusement it can provide to others when you apply it in public on those vulnerable areas), but Sun Protection for your dog is vital.
Vetbasix Sunscreen SPF15 is specially formulated for dogs and cats.
It contains Titanium Oxide and Zinc Oxide to act as a barrier against the sun's harmful rays, and Bitrex to discourage your pet from licking off the cream.
It comes in a 75gram tube,
The cream should be applied to exposed skin 20 minutes before exposure to the sun, and repeated every 2 hours and after swimming or bathing. Sunburn is a major problem for white animals, particularly on extremities suchas ears and nose) and more frequent use is recommended in these cases.
More about Skin Cancer in Dogs
Skin cancer is the most prevalent cancer in dogs and along with cancer of the mammary glands it forms nearly 58% of all cancers in dogs.
Carcinoma and sarcoma, two of the four major types of cancer, are the ones that normally occur in the skin of a dog that need to be differentiated for treatment purposes.
Skin cancer usually affects four different types of cells and is divided into four categories as such.
- Epithelial tumors are associated with the skin, skin glands and hair follicles.
- Mesenchyme tumors are cancers resulting from cells that support fat, connective tissue, blood vessels and nerves.
- Round cell tumors include cancer of the external sex organs, mast cell tumors and plasma cell tumors.
- Melanomas are cancer of the cells responsible for pigment in the skin.
Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer. Carcinoma is a term that denotes to a cancer that initially starts in the cells and surrounds an organ completely. Another form of carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, grows gradually and does not normally spread to other parts of the body.
Another common form of skin cancer is associated with mast cells that control coagulation of blood and permeability of blood vessels. Mast cell tumors are usually malignant and arise from connective tissue. Allergic reactions may activate mast cell in a manner that any genetic or environmental predisposition can result in transforming these cells into a cancerous state.
Additional tip: If you think your dog is prone to sun-burn or skin cancer, invest in a summer vest or t-shirt, and possibly even a sun-hat: we have a range available at our store at Bondi Beach.