TL;DR: Most baby mineral sunscreens contain zinc oxide, which is not dangerous to pets if they lick a small amount of it off your baby’s skin. You need to either keep pets away from freshly applied sunscreen or choose a zinc-free formula.
When you’ve got little kids and pets, it gives you lots of reasons to go and enjoy the great outdoors. However, as a dedicated parent, you’ll be putting baby mineral sunscreen in your bag to make sure they’re protected at the park, the pool and in the garden. But what happens if your pet licks your baby’s arm with sunscreen on it? Would it make them sick?
Mineral sunscreens are gentle on human skin, which is why parents love them. But what’s safe for babies isn’t necessarily safe for pets. Pets lick, it’s what they do, so let’s delve into the subject a little more to see how much you really need to worry.
What Happens If Your Pet Licks Baby Mineral Sunscreen?
Baby mineral sunscreen usually contains zinc oxide as the active ingredient. It sits on top of the skin rather than absorbing in, which is why parents prefer it for sensitive baby skin and why the issue of it being licked off is even a thing. So, what’s the score? Would it hurt them?
The reality is that if your pet licks it off your baby’s skin occasionally, it really isn’t an issue. If your pet is very small, they might get a bit of an upset stomach, but even that should clear up pretty quickly.
Titanium dioxide is the other mineral ingredient you’ll see in baby sunscreens. What about that? Well, again, it can cause a mild stomach upset if pets ingest it, but just like zinc oxide, it’s not something you should be losing sleep over.
Doing What You Can to Minimize Contact
You’re not going to stop every instance of your pet licking your baby after you’ve applied sunscreen, but there are ways to reduce how often it happens. Some approaches work better than others depending on how active your pet is, and how mobile your baby is. Here’s what tends to help:
- Focus on applying sunscreen mainly to areas your pet can’t easily reach, though that’s tricky when your dog’s licking your baby’s face or your cat’s rubbing against their arms
- Go for sunscreens that use titanium dioxide instead of zinc oxide, which tends to cause fewer stomach issues if pets do get a lick in
- Accept that the occasional lick will happen and just keep an eye out for signs of stomach trouble
The reality is you’re juggling a baby and a pet, which means perfect control isn’t also going to be within your reach. However, as long as you’ve got a general eye on things, you shouldn’t have any problems.
See also: Who Should Take The 11379NAT Mental Health Course?
Don’t Worry Too Much About Baby Mineral Sunscreen & Pets
If your pet licks mineral sunscreen off your child’s skin, the most you’re looking at is a bit of an upset stomach that sorts itself out fairly quickly. It’s not something that needs you hovering anxiously or rushing to the vet every time your dog gives your baby a kiss after sunscreen application. Most of the time, nothing happens at all.
You’re managing a baby and a pet, which means perfect separation isn’t realistic. The occasional lick is just part of life with both in the house. Keep an eye out if it happens, but don’t let it stop you protecting your baby’s skin from the sun. A bit of awareness is all you need.
