Do You Limit Your Dogs Sun Exposure?

[moosepup]

Just wondering if anyone does? Are dogs effected by the sun like humans are?

Moose loves playing outside and lazing around in the sun. I always put Filta-Bac on his bald patch (on his back) before he goes out but don't put it anywhere else. Should I be putting it on his nose (it's dark pink), ears or anywhere else? Or just limiting how much time he spends out there?

Am I a worry wart? Yes.

Here's my little fella today...

As soon as I started typing this he came inside.

[oakway]

Yes when I came to Tasmania my dogs were sun burnt badly and I had to kennel them during the worst heat of the day.

I came from Queensland and forgot about me being closer to the hole in the Ozone layer.

[WreckitWhippet]

My guys get adequate exercise and plenty of time outside, but they aren't allowed to lay around and sunbake all day, especially the Whippets.

It's easy for them to sunbake all day where we live, as it's not all that hot.

[Simply Grand]

Awwww Moose is so cute, on his important dumbell business...

I don't really know the answer, but yes I think dogs can get sunburnt. I don't worry about Saxon normally as his fur covers everything except his nose, which is black, but when he gets wet his fur droops down and his pale pink skin shows through. So generally if he's wet I'll keep him more in the shade until he fluffs up again. I also got him a rashie to protect him ( ) but we haven't tried that yet!

[moosepup]

Awwww Moose is so cute, on his important dumbell business...

Doin' his daily workout...

They're kept inside when we aren't home so I can usually monitor how much sun time he gets. If he's lazing around out there I'll usually call him in after 20 minutes or so but this is pretty rare. He's usually too busy conducting important dog business (patrols, killing teddies, saying hello to neighbour dog, chasing bugs etc) to be lazing. If it's particularly warm I'll put a singlet type top on him to protect his back but there's plenty of shade out there and they always have access to the house.

Interesting to know that they can sunburn badly though, will be extra vigilant with the Filta-Bac when he's out.

One thing to note is that he has pink skin but his bald patch is black. I wonder if the melanin production is somewhat caused by the sun? It went black pretty quickly once his skin healed.

Edited October 24, 2010 by moosepup

[Malamum]

No. I actually try and encourage them to spend more time outside in the fresh air.

Mine tend to spend a lot of time inside though and they've got so much fur that the only bit of skin that's going to get sun exposure is their noses.

[julzjc]

I use sunblock on the bridge of Bonnies nose as she sunburns easily there. Even if she is only outside for a little while she tends to jump in her paddling pool so her wet exposed skin turns bright pink very quickly.

ETA- Also sometimes put it on her underside as dopey tends to roll flat on her back, spread eagle to sunbake.

Edited October 24, 2010 by julzjc

[Sydoo]

In our backyard, Billie prefers to stay in the shade most of the time so it's not a big problem for us. I deliberately chose a dog with a black nose but I still put cream on the top of her muzzle when we are taking her out somewhere as the white fur there is very short and pale skin quite visible.

My beloved childhood cat was PTS after skin cancer ravaged his nose and spread further. Poor thing loved to sleep in the sun.

[OSoSwift]

Mine don't lay around sunbaking outside, but Lewis always has sunscreen on his nose and testicles as they have some pink areas.

I have seen dogs sunburn very badly, but generally it is the dogs with Liver, brown, white pigment etc. Ones with black pigment don't usually have much of an issue. I have never had a problem with Rommi's nose.

Edited October 24, 2010 by OSoSwift

[moosepup]

Moose had a black nose as a pup but it's mostly dark pink on the top now.

[Perry's Mum]

I put sunscreen on Perry's schnozz because it is a little thinly furred and I don't let her spend too much time outside when it is really hot and sunny.

[Blakbelgian]

Moose may have whats called a Snow nose or summer nose if it has changed color.

Some breeds do this with the change in weather.

Cream Schipps do this in the warmer weather.

I grew up with a JRT x Fox Terrier adn she loved lying on her back in the sun.

Unfortunatly the sun loved her too much and she developed skin cancer on her bald belly. She had to be PTS.

BB

P.S Moose is super cute.

[kiesha09]

My boy loves to go out and sunbathe on the tiles in the middle of summer. He lies on his back with his little pink belly exposed. He once got himself so badly burnt it blistered. So he now has to stay inside during the day and if he does have access to outside he is slathered with sunscreen!