Hi there!
So last weekend I was out at an event with my dog (yes I do get out now and then lol) and, well I got a little too much sun but who cares I kept the dog cool lol, I wasn't the only one though. Among the red faces was one who you might not expect; a little working jack russel cross.
I remember seeing this dog arriving at about half 12 bright sparkling white with a short coat (working russels are not the same as the KC breed they come in all different coats and sizes), by 1 he had a tiny bit of pink behind his nose and that was the last I saw him until 2ish when his whole head was bright red and the owners still didn't seem to realize he needed out the sun. Fortunately they then took him home but that poor dog is bound to be in quite a bit of pain.
The point of this little story is your pet can get sun burnt. Most people know the dangers of over heating but few realise that they can get burnt. White animals, those with short coats, or trimmed coats and fur less animals are most at risk of sunburn. The white patches on a ferrets face, being white and short, are particularly vulnerable, like the little dog in the story, but if your ferret is white on his back or spends a lot of time in the sun he is at risk of getting it on his body too.
So what can you do? Limiting time in the sun at the height of the day is important, this not only prevents sun burn but can really reduce chances of over heating. Like wise making sure that you have shade in the hutch or run really helps. Ideally if you can move them out of the sun that is best but it is not always possible Last year our enclosures were in a sunny spot in the late afternoon/evening so we made a screen out of garden screening we could move about through out the day to protect them. You can also get sunblock safe for pets, you should speak to your vet about which are safe. This is particularly useful if you are talking about a dog who will be going with you on trips over the summer.
Don't forget about providing shade in the car either. If you're going on a trip you can get window shades from car shops, or even a good supermarket. They are usually marketed for parents with children in the back seats but are just as important for providing a bit of shade to your pet.
If you do notice your pet is a bit red somewhere try and cool the area down and ring your vet. Sunburn can get nasty fast so you might need your vet to have a look at it and see how bad it is.
Hope this helps someone,
Bye for now xx