Protect Your Dog Naturally From Sunburns to Nose, Skin and Ears With These Foods, Supplements and DIY Sunscreens
★ 5 min read
In this article:
In this article:
- Dogs most at risk for sunburn
- Dietary support for your dog's natural sun protection
- Natural topical sunscreen protection for dogs
- Cautions
Did
you know that dogs can get sun burned? Canine sun burns can be just as painful
and damaging as sun burns experienced by us humans.
1.0 Dogs Most at Risk for Sunburn
- Dogs with short hair
- Dog with little or no hair
- Dogs that spend a lot of time in or on the water (e.g. on the beach, swimming, in a boat).
But
even a dog with a thick coat of fur can end-up with a sun-burned nose.
A
dog’s ears, nose and underside are most at-risk for sunburn.
Your
dog’s diet and genetics can also effect susceptibility to sun burn. Just like
people, some dogs are more sensitive to the damaging effects of the sun’s UVA
rays. A poor diet can also have a negative impact on a dog’s natural defense to
resist sunburn.
Most
commercial made-for-pet sunscreens contain a variety of health damaging
toxic and carcinogenic ingredients. Some of these ingredients also block the skin's ability to absorb UVB rays. Your dog needs to absorb the UVB to maintain her vitamin D levels.
Learn more about ingredients to avoid in commercial sun protection products in this article.
Learn more about ingredients to avoid in commercial sun protection products in this article.
So
what’s the best plan of action to protect your dog from the damaging effects of
the sun’s UVA rays?
The best all around protection is holistic and works on the inside and the outside by supporting your dog's natural mechanisms for sun protection.
2.0 Dietary Support for Your Dog’s Natural Sun Protection
Support your dog’s natural ability to withstand the sun by adding some
lycopene rich foods to his / her daily diet. Lycopene is a very powerful phytonutrient and antioxidant
that occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables. Lycopene, a member of the
carotenoid family is a red pigment that gives some fruits and vegetables their
red color. In addition to acting as the
skins natural sunscreen, lycopene is important in disease prevention as it
helps reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular
degeneration.
After
ingestion lycopene enters the lymphatic system, then moves on to organs such as
the adrenal glands, colon and liver. The skin only absorbs a small part of the ingested
lycopene.
2.1 Increase Bioavailability of Lycopene
The bioavailability of dietary lycopene is increased when the
lycopene containing food is ingested with a good-source fat. For example:
- Organic healthy plant-based oils
- Wild caught fish
- Or fish oil made from 100% deep-sea wild-caught fish, for example:
2.2 Species Appropriate Fruit and Vegetable Soures of Lycopene
Species appropriate lycopene rich fruit and vegetables for dogs include
- Apricots
- Asparagus
- Carrots
- Cabbage (purple cabbage)
- Grapefruit
- Goji Berries (wolf berries)
- Guava
- Tomatoes (lightly steamed)
- Mango
- Papaya
- Parsley
- Peppers – sweet, red
- Rose hips
- Watermelon
For a more extensive list of lycopene-rich fruit and vegetables for dogs go to this article.
Follow instructions provided in this article for adding
fruits and vegetables to your dog’s diet.
To maximize lycopene add one of the healthy fats (noted above) or combine
the fruit and veggies with a serving (teaspoon to tablespoon) of finely ground organic almonds,
sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. More serving tips here.
Learn more about lycopene, health benefits for your dog in this article.
Learn more about lycopene, health benefits for your dog in this article.
3.0 Natural Topical
Sunscreen Protection for Dogs
3.1 All-Natural
Simple, Safe Oils
Option One, use natural
oils that offer protection targeted to screen out most of the sun’s harmful UVA rays
for relatively reasonable periods of time (not all day exposure) without the
serious side effects of many commercial sunscreens. Natural oils also nourish
the skin while allowing UVB rays through – thereby supporting the production of
vitamin D. And one more advantage – unlike the commercial chemical-based
sunscreens, if your dog licks his / her skin or fur the natural oils are health
promoting.
Carrot
Seed Oil
This oil has a very high rating for sun protection - said to be between “30”
and “38” SPF. Carrot seed oil is also packed with vitamins and antioxidants
including carotene and vitamin A. This oil is of particular therapeutic value
for dogs with skin issues. The only caution – carrot seed oil can have an
orange tinge – for dogs with white or light fur and skin temporary color
transfer may be experienced while the oil is present.
Red
Raspberry Oil
Red
raspberry oil has an excellent SPF rating – estimated at 30 to 50 SPF. This oil
is also rich in vitamin E making it a good choice for dogs that are prone to skin
issues. Vitamin E is also a natural preservative – this oil is naturally
resistant to rancidity. Red raspberry oil also has excellent anti-inflammatory
properties due to its high content of vitamin A and alpha linolenic acid.
Wheat
Germ Oil
Wheat
germ oil is lower on the SPF range but is still a good alternative also
offering excellent levels for vitamin E making it a great choice for dogs
already suffering from dry skin, irritated or inflamed skin.
3.2 Essential
Oil Sunscreen
Option Two, you
can make your own essential oil sunscreen – some essential oils have excellent
sun-blocking properties and are anti-inflammatory.
To
make your own essential oil sunscreen you will need an organic carrier oil and
a high quality therapeutic grade organic essential oil.
Choose from:
- Lavender Essential Oil, or
- Roman Chamomile Essential Oil
For
a carrier oil choose one of the following oils:
- Coconut oil
- Jojoba oil
- Sesame Oil
- Wheat Germ Oil
Preparation
- Add 5 to 10 drops of essential oil for every ounce of carrier oil
- Thoroughly mix the carrier oil with the essential oil
- Apply sparingly
- Avoid getting the mixture in your dog’s eyes
4.0 Cautions
- Don’t use essential oil sun-screen on puppies that are younger than 8 weeks of age.
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Article by Karen Rosenfeld