Sun Safety for your pup!!

[bettyeanne]

I received a bulletin today from The Honest Kitchen ... I had not thought much of sun safety for Toto because we aren't outside that much. She is, however, an inside sunbather and if I am on the patio and she can find a spot of sun ... she's on it!! I love The Honest Kitchen because they have lots of good info on their website! Hope you all find this as interesting as I did.

07/14/2008
Protect your pup - and his food! Sun Safety
Our book excerpt this week is from The Dog Bible, Everything your Dog Wants You To Know , by Tracie Hotchner - a friend and long time customer of The Honest Kitchen. Tracie's book is packed with valuable information to make you a better pet parent. Here's a snippit, about sun safety for pups:
1. Keep at-risk dogs completely out of the sun form 10am to 2pm.
2. Put a T-shirt on the dog when outdoors.
3. Provide shade outside over the dog's area.
4. For indoor sunbathers, pull drapes or block of sunny rooms from 10am to 2pm.
5. Spray children's sunblock with an SPF of 15 or higher on sensitive areas.

According to The Dog Bible, some of the breeds most sensitive to sun exposure include:
Australian Shepherd, Beagles, Bulldogs, Chinese Crested, Collies, Dalmatians, Great Danes, Greyhounds (including IG's), and Whippets.

Tracie lists the following stages and complications of ultrviolet damage:
Reddened skin in thin areas such as the scrotum, belly, inner thigh and nose
Faded skin color
Hair loss
Thick, red scaly blotches
Rough patches
Appearance of "blackheads"
Secondary infection
Blisters with fluid
Formation of scabs
Lesions or depression beneath scabs
Nodules, skin tumors and plaques associated with cancer

Pets in very sunny states such as the southwestern USA are at highest risk of sunburn, as well as those who spend lots of time in the snow, because of reflection of the sun's ultrviolet rays.
Noses are espcially prone to getting burned and require extra protection when out and about in the sun.
Did you know that dogs are thirty five times more likely than people, to get skin cancer? Please take precautions from harmful rays.

[Izzy Princess]

Wow thanks so much. I just stated Izzy on The Honest Kitchen about 3 weeks ago and we love, love it and so does she.

I had no idea about the sun exposure and Izzy is an indoor sun bather as well and will fight our cats for that coveted sun spot.

Thanks for the info.

[yorkieusa]

Well, Kacee has pinkish skin, whereas, Muffin had the darker greyish skin color. I am constantly pulling Kacee, the sun worshiper, out of the sun. I suppose the air-conditioning gets cold after awhile, but she'll go outside stretch out in the sun. I will let her stay there for awhile, but I have read in the past that the pink-skinned dogs are prone to sunburn and skin cancer. That is why I have tried to be more careful with her. Now, Muffin was black and she didn't stay in the sun very long. You know how black absorbs sun?

[zoeybear]

What great info! I worry about sun exposure. Baby Chloe is crazy. She is black as night and she will lay in the sun on the hot cement when it is 105 degrees out. I don't know why. I spend the entire time at the pool putting her back in the shade. Zoeybear stays in the shade(the smart one.) Thanks for passing along the bulletin!

[yoyo27]

This is really good information. I thought it was funny my little darker yorkie loves to be in the sun. But I don't let her stay in it long. The others are hot really fast and just wants back in the house to the air condition.

[ARCHIE]

Thanks for posting that info BetteAnne. I never even gave it a thought
regarding skin cancer and dogs. You learn something new everyday.
Bud loves lounging in the sun on our deck, when I"m out there, I will
be more intuned to the time he's lounging there from here on in.
Thanks again,