Staying Safe in the Sun - Tips for you and your pets!

Whilst, especially living in the UK, we are absolutely LOVING this glorious weather right now, we also have our sensible heads on and with the temperature set to soar to 30 degrees this weekend (yippee!) here at GLR HQ we’ve been talking about how to keep our kids, pets and of course ourselves safe during these hot conditions. There is just so much fabulous advice out there and we had to share a little bit of what we’ve learned…

SUNCARE

Depending on individual allergies and your skin type, it’s important to do your research in terms of choosing a sun-care product that suits you.  The NHS and Cancer Research UK offer some great hints and tips on choosing the right factor and staying safe in the sun. You can also check out the guide below for the recommended Sun Protection Factor (SPF) for your skin complexion (this is also known as Ultraviolet B protection):

This aside, we’ve learnt something new this year. According to research, very few of us understand the ratings seen on a large majority of our sun-care products and in particular the meaning of the UVA rating.  You may have noticed that most sun lotions have a small UVA logo on their products with between 1 and 5 stars inside it.  UVA = Ultra Violet A radiation and the  more stars on your sun-screen the better!  So, go for a sun cream or lotion with a good level of SPF and UVA protection and you've covered all bases! 

 Oh, and embarrassingly, I’ve also only just realised that water-resistant does not mean waterproof so please don’t forget to reapply your sun lotion once you’ve dried off after a dip in the pool! (if you're lucky enough to have one to dip in!).

Our common sense tips in a nutshell:

- Spend time in the shade between 11am - 3pm
- Make sure you never burn
- Use a good level of sun protection
- Wear a hat and/or sensible clothes 
- Keep hydrated!

 LOOKING AFTER PETS IN THE SUN

 We have some much loved four-legged friends here at GLR HQ, especially Monty the miniature Daschund. who is finding this heat challenging! After reading a few horror stories online, we thought we’d share this important article from the Blue Cross website about keeping dogs cool in the heat.

 There are many well know pieces of advice, such as NOT leaving your pets in the car & NOT over walking them during the middle of the day but we often forget simple things such as how to check if the temperature of the pavement is too hot for them.  Vetsnow issued a recent warning on this topic, check out the picture below for what to look out for. Alternatively, you can follow Vetsnow on Facebook or twitter for regular updates on animal safety.

 COOLING TREATS FOR OUR FELINE FRIENDS

 We loved this cute little idea for all those cat owners out there. Tuna ice lollies to keep them cool in the heat - who’d have thought it! There are alternatives with fish for dogs too so why not give them a try and see if this helps cool down the moggies & doggies in your household.

BEFORE WE GO…

 You’d think I was torturing my children every time I put sun-tan lotion on them or request that they wear a hat, but persevere as it’s worth it!

You could always start off with this simple little Word Search (credit: ivillage.co.uk) to help them understand why!