Recently my Dalmatian was diagnosed with a dermal form of skin cancer. Having another fair skinned dog I began researching sunscreens for dogs. In the midst of my search I discovered some alarming details about common ingredients used in not only dog sunscreen but human sunscreen as well as cosmetics.
First I discovered that common chemicals in sunscreens used for both humans and dogs contain harmful chemicals in which over time can cause cancer. Which is alarming when trying to prevent just that? Some included: benzophenones, cinnamates, salicylates and the list goes on. Considering that there has to be a more natural sunscreen available I continued to search. Then I ran into titanium dioxide. It's listed in a variety of "natural" sunscreens but after researching potential toxicities I learned that the titanium dioxide used in sunscreens and cosmetics contain harmful nanoparticles---also harmful and potentially cancer causing.
It seems the more I try to find a safe sunscreen for my pets; the more I learn about the dangers of products I'm currently using from my makeup, which contains titanium dioxide, to my sunscreen that contains harmful chemicals. Much like the debates with heart health and breast cancer in relation to alcohol, there are so many conflicting reports and so much incomplete research, does anyone have an idea just how harmful these chemicals and nanopaticles actually are? How much of this is scare tactic and how much is fact? These chemicals seem to be in every commercial sunscreen and the nanoparticles (found in Titanium Dioxide) is in almost all cosmetics containing sunscreen. WOW!
A few of my online sources: searchwarp.com "The Truth About Sunscreens by Cythia McMurrayhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090326162747.htm