'Pets Need Suncream Too'

We are used to warnings about protecting our children from the sun, but now animal lovers are being told to protect their pets too.Animal charity The Blue Cross says animals with thin hair or bald patches should have suncream applied before they go out.
Sunburn in prominent areas like ears and noses can lead to skin cancer, extensive surgery and, in serious cases, amputations, they warned.
A spokesman for the charity said: "Animals with white fur or bare patches of skin - especially around the face - can get sunburnt like the rest of us."
Cases of heatstroke, sunburn and other preventable illnesses in hot weather are common, they added, so owners should be careful to give their pets plenty of water.
Other precautions include not leaving pets in hot cars and keeping them indoors when the sun is strongest, between 11.00am and 3.00pm.
They added that vulnerable areas should be covered with a non-toxic waterproof human sunblock or a product specifically for pets.Long-haired animals should be kept well groomed - especially longhaired ones. A tangle-free coat will help keep them cool.