Dog First Aid - Sunburn
Sunburned? My dog? You must be joking! Although quite unbelievable, dogs really do can get sunburned. Too much hours spent under the blazing sun would be as dangerous for these four legged friends as it is for humans. Human clothing and the thick fur of dogs will not serve as effective protection if both humans and dogs are exposed to the blazing hot sun for quite a long period of time. Aside from the health benefits, exposure to some amount of sunlight will keep these animals happy. Summertime is a happy time for these animals that love to be in the sun. Playing under the heat of the sun would result to sunburn, a condition that will make the dog very uncomfortable.
What are the signs that would tell you that the pet has sunburn? The dog was sunburned if the pink nose takes on the color of Rudolf the red nosed reindeer's nose. The ears are less covered with hair and more exposed to the sun thus it would dry up, crack and curl. After the burn, the affected skin will appear white and kind of leathery. These symptoms will be noticed if the dog's sunburn is superficial. Deep partial thickness and full thickness sunburns are similar to second degree and third degree burns respectively thus considered as serious sunburn. Blisters and sores can form on the severely affected skin. Hospitalization is necessary for these two types of serious sunburns. Skin grafts may be necessary if a large percentage of the dog's body was burned.
For minor or superficial types of sunburn, the dog can be treated at home. For ease of application of medication and for easy monitoring of the healing of the burned skin, it would be best to shave the hair on the affected area. To prevent infection, iodine must be applied to the burned skin. Apply topical burn ointments to the affected skin.
One effective home remedy for sunburn is aloe vera. OTC aloe vera ointment works well but the juice of fresh plant will deliver soothing coolness to the burned skin. Gel squeezed from a fresh aloe vera leaf is applied to the affected skin.
To speed up the healing process, the oil from a vitamin E capsule can be squeezed out and applied to the affected area. Vitamin E would not only speed up healing but also reduce scarring. A sunburned dog would suffer from itch and pain. Baking soda or any oatmeal product added to the bathwater of the pet would relieve the pain and itching.
What are the signs that would tell you that the pet has sunburn? The dog was sunburned if the pink nose takes on the color of Rudolf the red nosed reindeer's nose. The ears are less covered with hair and more exposed to the sun thus it would dry up, crack and curl. After the burn, the affected skin will appear white and kind of leathery. These symptoms will be noticed if the dog's sunburn is superficial. Deep partial thickness and full thickness sunburns are similar to second degree and third degree burns respectively thus considered as serious sunburn. Blisters and sores can form on the severely affected skin. Hospitalization is necessary for these two types of serious sunburns. Skin grafts may be necessary if a large percentage of the dog's body was burned.
For minor or superficial types of sunburn, the dog can be treated at home. For ease of application of medication and for easy monitoring of the healing of the burned skin, it would be best to shave the hair on the affected area. To prevent infection, iodine must be applied to the burned skin. Apply topical burn ointments to the affected skin.
One effective home remedy for sunburn is aloe vera. OTC aloe vera ointment works well but the juice of fresh plant will deliver soothing coolness to the burned skin. Gel squeezed from a fresh aloe vera leaf is applied to the affected skin.
To speed up the healing process, the oil from a vitamin E capsule can be squeezed out and applied to the affected area. Vitamin E would not only speed up healing but also reduce scarring. A sunburned dog would suffer from itch and pain. Baking soda or any oatmeal product added to the bathwater of the pet would relieve the pain and itching.
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