Natural Sunscreen for Dogs…
A VERY optimistic poster just asked me did I know of any natural sunscreen ideas for a very white little Staffie pup. This was interesting as I remember hearing that seed oils are naturally SPF.
Two things you might not know about sunscreen. The first is, did you know that the difference between say SPF 20 and SPF 50 is simply a matter of time you are permitted in the sun? This was news to me, I thought it was a strength measure! I hope at least some of you didn’t know that…
My second little nugget is that the really effective ingredient in most sunscreens is zinc based, largely zinc oxide. This is the magic element. It happens that seed and nut oils are very high in natural zinc (and vitamin E) which skin absolutely adores. It is why almost all natural skin treatments contain almond or coconut oil.
You can rub seed and nut oils (almond my fave) on dry skin anywhere on their body that might need a nourishing, on their crusty elbows or nose, groom into their coats to fight dandruff, etc. It is this high zinc content that make these oils pretty good for sun protection too.
I found a few (unreferenced) links that seem to support this notion. E.g. the popular sites Wellnessmama and PronounceSkinCare.
Most tend to agree that the likes of almond and coconut oil have a very short natural SPF factor of 4-6. Enough to used as a decent preventative for a short walk on a hot day.
Remember to let the oils dry a bit first guys!
Far more potent in the natural regard are “Red Raspberry Seed Oil” with SPF 25-50 or “Carrot Seed Oil” with SPF 35-40!
The first two are easily sourced. The latter two you might find in your natural health store otherwise you’ll get them here on Amazon.
At an absolute worst, and asides an “especially for dogs” sunscreen which is ten times the price of a human version, any “natural” sunscreen meant for human babies should work on dogs as they have the very same skin as us. These creams tend to be lower in the more nasty-if-ingested chemicals, such as zinc oxide, which your dog WILL lick off their nose.
