Walking your dog in the sun is good for your health and furry friend, but taking precautions is essential. That means you should wear a hat with a wide brim and sunglasses with ultraviolet UV400 protection that blocks UVA and UVB rays. You can also buy shaded glasses or contact lenses to remove harmful UV rays. You can also use sunscreen on yourself and your dog before you go out in the sun. There are many sunscreen products available designed especially for dogs. No one wants to do it when it’s overcast and gray, but the sunshine and green grass are irresistible during the warmer months. Unfortunately, if you’re not wearing sun protection or have been out walking without sunscreen on for too long, you will regret it later. It’s not just the humans that need to watch how sunny days affect them; it’s also dogs.
1. Skin Disorders
Dogs can develop allergies or other skin disorders when exposed to prolonged sunlight because of their fur coats. A vet can do basic tests to determine whether an underlying condition is at work if they have scaly patches or bald spots. Some of the requirements include bacterial infections, yeast infections, and allergies. If a problem is found, your veterinarian may prescribe medication, a change in diet, or even biopsy the skin to find out what’s causing the pain. It can be very embarrassing for your dog to have a rash, and it could lead to many harmful health issues.
2. Heatstroke
If you see your dog panting or lying on the ground and struggling to get up, it may be a sign that he’s having a heat stroke. It is also a condition that can strike humans as well incidentally. It is challenging to treat when it occurs in dogs and humans. The best thing you can do is immerse the animal in cold water quickly to reduce his body temperature, then take him to the vet as soon as possible.
3. Sun Exposure and Cancer
While you want to protect your dog from sunburns, you want him to avoid getting significant exposure. Most dogs are exposed enough without adding more UV radiation to their skin. If they’re not burned, however, there’s no harm in exposing them to the sun. But if they do get a significant amount of sun exposure without being protected, it increases their risk of getting skin cancer. It is especially true for dogs bathed in the sun too often during puppyhood and those that have shaved or had hair clipped too short since puppyhood. If your dog already has skin cancer, you can always get him to use sunscreen explicitly designed for animals.
Many people who walk their dogs in the sun are unaware of the risks involved. You can protect your dog from medical and behavioral problems by covering him on sunny days. It only takes a few minutes to get everything ready so that you can walk.