Have you ever heard the phrase that dogs are just like humans? Well, there is a bit of truth in it. Dogs can feel similar emotions, spend time with their family, and even have the same medical conditions.
An example of such a condition is allergies. Dogs can be allergic to many things, like nuts, chicken, and the sun. Yep, you read it correctly. Dogs can be allergic to the sun. To learn more about that and other animal healthcare issues, visit My Sweet Puppy.
And meanwhile, if you’ve noticed that your dog weirdly reacts when exposed to the sun, it might be allergic to the sun; more information about that is below.
What Are Sun Allergies?
To give you a point of reference, sun allergies in dogs are similar to people’s sunburn. It makes the dog’s skin sore in the areas exposed to the sun and causes irritation. Some dogs are more susceptible to it than others.
So, for example, if your dog has short and white hair, the risk of sun allergies is higher than that of long and dark hair.
And what are the symptoms? They may depend on the time and the amount of sun your dog was exposed to. The most common symptoms include:
- Dry skin
- Pain
- Leisures
- Wrinkles
- Fibrosis
- Redness
Moreover, if you don’t treat it quickly and properly, sun allergies may even lead to skin cancer. So, to make sure your dog won’t have severe health problems, you should make a diagnosis as soon as possible.
Diagnosis
Now, when it comes to solar dermatitis, the diagnosis can be tricky. Why? Because sun allergies symptoms are similar to any other skin disease, and therefore hard to distinguish. But it doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to tell whether your dog has sun allergies.
What is unique about sun allergies is that the symptoms are only visible in the areas that were exposed to the sun. So, if you notice anything weird about your dog’s skin on its ears, back or nose, there is a high chance that it has sun allergies.
If you recognize those symptoms, contact your vet immediately. Prepare your dog’s medical history and provide the vet with all the necessary information. The veterinarian will examine your dog thoroughly and see whether it indeed has solar dermatitis.
Treatment
When the veterinarian diagnoses your dog positively for sun allergies, there are a few things you should know about the treatment. The vet will tell all the necessary information, but there are some commonly known ways of treating your dog.
First of all, try to keep your dog out of the sun. It may be harder than it sounds as dogs love to wander around, but nevertheless, it’s an essential part of the treatment.
Secondly, do whatever your veterinarian tells you to do. Buy prescribed medicines or ointments, and make sure you use them on your dog. Keep in mind that if you’re too late and your dog gets skin cancer, the vet will have to remove it surgically.
Now, when it comes to recovery, there are a few things you should remember about.
Firstly, buy your dog specialistic skincare products. There are sunproof creams and oils for dogs, as well as cooling ointments. You can also use sunproof cream for babies.
You should apply it 20 minutes before going out with your dog so that it absorbs the suncream. Make sure to pot it on spots that are most exposed to the sun, like ears, nose, and back.
The second thing you can do is buying your dog some clothes. Protective goggles, t-shirts or hats are a great way to protect your dog from the sun exposure.
Aside from these to examples, you can also purchase UV blocking filters for your windows, and of course, avoid letting your dog out during the sun peak hours.
Ensuring that your dogs stay protected from the sun is the key to making sure that allergies won’t turn into something far more severe. After all, it’s your best friend we’re talking about here.
Summary
You should never underestimate any possible medical condition your dog has, especially skin problems. If you don’t treat your dog’s sun allergy as soon as you can, it’s likely to lead to skin cancer.
Take care of your dog as if it was you who has a severe medical condition. Buy proper medications, ointments, and sun creams to ensure that your dog stays protected, and do whatever it takes to prevent its exposure to the sun.
You can also buy some protective clothes. There are many possibilities so it shouldn’t be difficult for you to keep your dog safe from the sun.
Your dog is your best friend, and you don’t want anything bad happening to it, do you?
Author’s bio:
Albert Konik– Animal lover and proud owner of three amazing dogs called Pablo, Fidel and Bruno. His mission is to turn the world into the better place for animals. He spends his free time travelling, helping at animal shelters, and writing for animal-related blogs.