Summer is a time of fun ... and sun. Most people take precautions to protect themselves and their children from the sun's rays, but many pet owners don't realize it is also important to protect their pets from the sun, because they feel their pet's coat protects them.

Sunlight is healthy for pets, as it is for people, as sunlight helps the skin produce vitamin D, which protects the skin and helps balance the body's calcium levels and metabolism. However, too much of anything can be harmful, and too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation can cause sunburn, or solar dermatitis, in cats and dogs. The damage caused by the sun can vary from burning to skin cancer!

The hair does serve as a barrier, but some areas of the body are lightly haired and lightly pigmented, such as the abdomen and face of dog breeds including bull terriers and Dalmatians and the ears of white cats. These areas can be prone to damage from ultraviolet light. Sunburn starts as redness and hair loss on the ear tips, bridge of the nose, or abdomen and can lead to skin ulceration, infection, and carcinoma. Excessive sun exposure can also exacerbate existing skin problems.

The best thing you can do to protect your pet from the summer sun is to keep your pet out of the sun during the intense hours -- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or protect your pet when you know you'll be in the sun and apply sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher on your pet. Using a chemical sunscreen is important, because it actually absorbs into the skin and will protect even if the animal licks at it. Apply it to the small susceptible areas of skin, such as the bridge of the nose and the ear tips. You can also apply a line of sunblock along any part in the fur along the head or back.

Believe it or not, there are also sun suits available for dogs. These suits are similar to the suit a surfer wears and often are used for dogs who accompany surfers at the beach for hours at a time.

Certain breeds of cats and dogs may be predisposed to sunburn. White cats are those that most commonly get sunburn, usually on the tips of the ears. Cats don't need to be outdoors to get sunburn, the UV radiation can pass through windows.

Sunburn is also common in pale and short-haired dogs, usually on the bridge of the nose, the abdomen, groin, and insides of the legs. The belly is prone to sunburn because of sunlight that reflects up from the sidewalk. Similarly, dogs that spend a lot of time at beaches can get sunburn from sun reflecting up from the hot sand.

Sunburn and repeated, excessive exposure to UV radiation can lead to skin cancer, particularly squamous cell carcinoma, in dogs and cats as it does in humans. Therefore, breeds that are predisposed to cancer, such as boxers and Weimaraners, need extra protection from the sun.

Sunburn can also cause skin ulceration, leaving the skin susceptible to opportunistic bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections. Sun exposure may also exacerbate autoimmune skin diseases in which the immune system attacks skin cells, such as pemphigus and lupus. As the sun damages the skin, skin cells die and can release proteins that inappropriately trigger the immune system.

For more information about solar dermatitis in pets, contact your local veterinarian.