Yes, Your Dog Needs Sunscreen, Too. But Only 1 Brand Is FDA-Approved

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While applying sunscreen to your own skin before a walk or hike with your dog, the thought may have crossed your mind: Does Lassie need sunscreen, too?

The answer, according to veterinarians, is a resounding yes. “Just like … for humans, [sunscreen] shields your pup’s delicate skin from sunburn and potential long-term damage,” like skin cancer, Dr. Lisa Lippman told HuffPost. Lippman is a board-certified veterinarian and the Director of Virtual Medicine at Bond Vet.

Using sunscreen is especially important “if your pet has a white or thin coat, [or] light-pigmented nose, eyelids or ears,” according to Lippman, as these features indicate that your dog is at greater risk for sunburns.

But don’t jump to share your personal favorite sunscreen with your pup: You must use sunscreen that’s formulated specifically for dogs, she emphasized. This is crucial since many of the ingredients found in sunscreens for humans, like zinc, are lethal for dogs when ingested. Dog sunscreen is designed to be safe for pups to lick — “because let’s face it, dogs can’t resist giving themselves a little taste-test now and then,” Lippman noted — and “tak[es] into account their unique skin composition and fur coverage.”

Based on Lippman’s advice and our research, we’re convinced that Epi-Pet’s SPF 30 dog sunscreen is a good pick — primarily because it’s the only one that’s actually approved by the FDA.

That’s because, for starters, Epi-Pet’s sunscreen is the only FDA-compliant sunscreen available for dogs, according to the brand (and supported by our own research). The vast majority of pet sunscreens on the market haven’t been approved by the FDA, which means that their SPF ratings haven’t actually been tested or verified.

It’s also the only dog sunscreen we found that satisfied all of Lippman’s requirements, with the exception of its vanilla-scented fragrance (no surprise, since it was developed by a veterinarian): It provides protection from UVA and UVB rays, is free from zinc and propylene glycol and is safe for dogs to lick.

As an added bonus, it helps condition pups’ skin and coats using vitamin E and is sweat- and water-resistant. This sunscreen can also be used on horses, though cat owners should take note: It’s not safe for cats.

Since this option is a spray sunscreen, you can spray it directly onto your pup’s body, including its belly and legs. (Lippman recommended focusing on “areas with less hair coverage — think noses, ears, bellies and any areas with exposed skin.”) To apply to your dog’s face, the brand recommends you spray the product onto your hands and then gently rub the formula around your pet’s muzzle, ears, nose and eye area. In other words, don’t spray the sunscreen directly into your pup’s face.

Pick up a 3.5-ounce bottle from Amazon or Chewy, and check out what Amazon reviewers have to say below:

“This is the only FDA pet approved sunscreen currently on the market. With my white dogs, I believe this definitely helps prevent them from burning in the sun. We live in FL, and the sun can be brutal. My poor dogs heads and back were so red before but this sunscreen is a miracle and I will always be using it for them during the summer time.” — Alyssa A

″*Updated* My rescue pup is completely hairless on her back, ears, neck, and thighs. She has dark grey skin, but still burns. I was unsure of using an alcohol based sunscreen, worried about drying out her skin and/or triggering acne. I’m happy I tried it! Her skin is as beautiful and soft as ever―with no burns! With spring rolling in here in the Catskills, we’re out hiking a lot in the sun. There’s little shade due to it being so early in the season, so she gets a lot of sun exposure. On our longest trip (7 hrs with day camping in between) I applied and reapplied once. The noise is rather quiet for a spray, and while she isn’t a huge fan, she’ll let me apply it to her. Definitely apply it to your hands for facial sunscreen.
*Update: almost two months later and I need to buy more! I have an 8 lb almost entirely hairless dog, and I used the spray nearly every day (aside from rainy days of course). All in all, the product was great for her skin type. She hasn’t had a single sun burn since we started using it.” — AE Close

“This stuff really works. I’ve tried several other dog safe ‘sunscreens’ and none of them were effective. My dog has a scar on his snout from before he was rescued off the streets as a puppy, and because he has no fur covering that section, it easily turns pink and blisters and bleeds when he’s in the sun. Plus my vet was concerned that he could develop skin cancer with all the constant sun exposure. But all of the pet safe sunscreens I could find didn’t have any ingredients that would actually block UV rays, and all the ones that had effective sun blocking ingredients weren’t pet safe, so it seemed like a catch-22. It took me a long time to find one that both worked effectively and was safe. This is it! It doesn’t irritate his skin at all. We can go to the beach for a couple of hours, and his skin looks just as good as it did at the beginning of the day, whereas in the past it would have burnt. So glad to have found this product.” — sknappy1

“We have a Dudley Labrador and his pink nose and paws are ultra sensitive to the sun. This sunscreen protected him so he could enjoy his first beach day! He didn’t seem to mind the sunscreen at all or try to lick it off. It was a great buy!” — Shane