Protecting The Skin Of A White Grey

[Guest jupiterooos]

I'm just asking because in the past, I had a mostly-white foster boy who developed skin cancer on the bald parts of his stomach. I've never really given a thought to Jupiter's skin - he's darker and has more fur - but Angler is almost all white, with lots of exposed pink skin on his butt and tummy. What can I do to help keep his skin safe? And is skin cancer really a consideration, or was our foster boy an anomaly? Thanks!

[Guest lotsagreys4me]

Skin cancer is a consideration. You need to put sun screen on when he is in the sun. use the spray on kind for kids. It has an SPF of 48, made by Banana Boat.

[RobinM]

I too put lotion on my white pups, Beau and his momma Polli if they are out in the sun for more than 10 minutes.

 

I use the chapstick 30 for their nose and bare spots.

[Guest Greyglo]

I always put sunscreen on Bunny's scar because I noticed it gets red when she goes out to play...

 

[MerlinsMum]

Interesting. What sunscreen do all use? Care to recommend any in particular?

Thanks!

[ABCgreys]

Callie is a fawn with naked thighs and tummy. We use Coppertone waterbabies on her to keep her from getting burned. It's funny, today is the first pretty good day we've had and DH found her sunny and came into the house asking for her sun screen.

[Jackandgrey]

Callie is a fawn with naked thighs and tummy. We use Coppertone waterbabies on her to keep her from getting burned. It's funny, today is the first pretty good day we've had and DH found her sunny and came into the house asking for her sun screen.

 

A big ahhh for your DH. That's a good one.

[Guest HeatherDemps]

I have an IG that is almost all white. I put sunscreen on his nose and put a t-shirt on him as well. I mostly try to limit his time outside when it gets really sunny out or we hang in the shade.

[Ruth]

Yes skin cancer is a diffinate consideration in white pups. I have 2 girls and use Coppertone for Kids spray SPF 50 . It works. Tess has had numerous spots removed from her tummy and some but not all were cancerous. We didn't have any last year because of the sunscreen.

 

 

 

Ruth

[Guest laceyj]

Skin cancer is a consideration. You need to put sun screen on when he is in the sun. use the spray on kind for kids. It has an SPF of 48, made by Banana Boat.

 

Ditto

 

 

Although Bandit is well furred most places I use the BB spray for kids on him. So I don't get it in his eyes I just spray some on my fingers and coat the 'bridge' of his nose where the fur is thin. Keiper still has a bald spot on his hinney and that gets treated too, even though he's fawn.

[ahicks51]

And if the snoot is pink, don't forget to apply sunscreen there, too. Any of the lip balms with sunscreen should be safe for any pink spots there!

Edited April 6, 2008 by ahicks51

[HopeForHounds]

Dr Couto was asked about the risk for white hounds and skin cancer. His answer is that there is a higher incidence of skin cancer in black hounds.

[Guest Snowy8]

Callie is a fawn with naked thighs and tummy. We use Coppertone waterbabies on her to keep her from getting burned. It's funny, today is the first pretty good day we've had and DH found her sunny and came into the house asking for her sun screen.

 

A big ahhh for your DH. That's a good one.

Robin has a good DH...Phil is really a good daddy to his fur & skin kids! he he he

I guess because Pipi-Francine has such thick hair I haven't thought about it, but I'm having her shaved the end of this month & so I'm going to have to watch out. And with her being a waterbaby...I'm really gonna have to watch her. She doesn't stay out enough though...Robin...can I rent out Phil???

 

Dr Couto was asked about the risk for white hounds and skin cancer. His answer is that there is a higher incidence of skin cancer in black hounds.

 

I'm wondering if there's a higher risk of any kind of cancer in black greys...I've lost 2 black greys to cancer.

[Guest weycoolgrey]

Interesting topic- this will be our first summer with Daisy, and I haven't even given sunscreen a thought!

[Guest jupiterooos]

Thanks for all the info! We went for a 4 1/2 mile walk today, and I put sunblock on Angler's butt and a t-shirt on him as well. Which struck a lot of passersby as funny, but oh well!

[Guest sweetrn621]

Funny, I asked this question of my vet, and her response was to definitely put it on his nose, perhaps the insides of his ears, and when I asked about the belly, she said he didn't need if it we were going for walks because his belly really shouldn't be exposed to the sun very much. But I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

Do you put it on their lower legs too since that area seems to be a little thin?

Edited April 7, 2008 by sweetrn621

[Guest jupiterooos]

Do you put it on their lower legs too since that area seems to be a little thin?

 

I was wondering this myself.....

 

Funny thing, the only sunblock I had around was this crappy stuff I got on sale - when I bought it, I didn't realize it had self-tanner in it So now Angler has lovely bronzed thighs and butt!

 

[Guest Greyglo]

...Funny thing, the only sunblock I had around was this crappy stuff I got on sale - when I bought it, I didn't realize it had self-tanner in it So now Angler has lovely bronzed thighs and butt!

 

 

[Guest MomoftheFuzzy]

Dr Couto was asked about the risk for white hounds and skin cancer. His answer is that there is a higher incidence of skin cancer in black hounds.

 

Interesting finding. Gino was always warmer out in the sunlight than Speck, I'm guessing because of the whole black vs. white thing as far as light absorption.

 

I use the spray version of sunblock for hounds. It's easiest to apply.

 

[greypuppyluv]

Our first whippet, Piper, who was a white and brindle boy, had Squamous Cell Carcinoma (skin cancer). I used to put the children's spray sunscreen on him.

 

I found this on the Merck Veterinary Manual website (bold emphasis added by me):

 

In dogs, these are the most frequently diagnosed carcinomas arising in the skin. Two forms are recognized—cutaneous and subungual.

 

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas are tumors of older dogs, with Bloodhounds, Basset Hounds, and Standard Poodles at greatest risk. Lesions commonly arise on the head, distal extremities, ventral abdomen, and perineum. Most cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas appear as firm, raised, frequently ulcerated plaques and nodules; sometimes they can be extremely exophytic and have a surface reminiscent of a wart. The etiology of most of these tumors is undefined; however, some are induced by prolonged solar injury. These usually develop on ventral abdominal, preputial, scrotal, and inguinal skin in white-skinned, shorthaired breeds such as Dalmatians, Bull Terriers, and Beagles. They develop in a ventral location because the poorly haired skin offers minimal shielding from ultraviolet radiation, many animals sun themselves lying on their backs, and perhaps because solar radiation reflects from the ground. Before a carcinoma develops, animals acquire focal zones of lichenification, hyperkeratosis, and erythema known as solar keratosis (solar dermatosis, actinic keratosis, senile keratosis).

 

Subungual squamous cell carcinomas are most commonly found in Giant and Standard Schnauzers, Gordon Setters, Briards, Kerry Blue Terriers, and Standard Poodles. Generally, all are darkhaired breeds, and a dark coat color has been associated with the development of subungual squamous cell carcinomas arising on multiple digits, often on different extremities. Females have a slight predilection and both fore- and hindlimbs are equally predisposed to tumor development.

 

You can find the whole article here.

[fsugrad]

I'm just asking because in the past, I had a mostly-white foster boy who developed skin cancer on the bald parts of his stomach. I've never really given a thought to Jupiter's skin - he's darker and has more fur - but Angler is almost all white, with lots of exposed pink skin on his butt and tummy. What can I do to help keep his skin safe? And is skin cancer really a consideration, or was our foster boy an anomaly? Thanks!

You are smart to consider sun protection, especially for Angler.

We have an almost 11 yr old white whippet. He has always been a lover of sun.

He has developed some red lesions on his abdomen over the last year. Our vet told us that they are either hemangiomas (non cancerous) or hemangiosarcomas (cancerous). Due to his special needs ( he had a spinal cord injury 4 yrs ago, some heart problems, and would not survive surgery or other extreme measures) we just need to see what happens. He is comfortable and happy for the time being.

The Merck Veterinary Manual says the following: note that the profile for at risk dogs are dogs with short, often white coats, "chronic solar injury", whippets, and italian greyhounds. So please take care of Angler out in the sun.

***

"Angiosarcomas, arguably the most aggressive of all soft-tissue tumors, are composed of cells that have many functional and morphologic features of normal endothelium. Although these tumors are often divided into hemangiosarcomas (of purported blood vessel origin) and lymphangiosarcomas (of lymphatic vessel origin), such a distinction is arbitrary. The term angioendothelioma is also used. These tumors generally arise spontaneously, but in dogs with short, often white coats, chronic solar injury has induced a change in the superficial vascular plexus, which initially appears as a hemangioma and then progresses to a malignant vascular tumor. The breeds prone to actinically induced angiosarcomas are Whippets, Italian Greyhounds, White Boxers, and Pit Bulls. Pathologists will often diagnose these lesions as cutaneous hemangiosarcomas."

[greypuppyluv]

I'm just asking because in the past, I had a mostly-white foster boy who developed skin cancer on the bald parts of his stomach. I've never really given a thought to Jupiter's skin - he's darker and has more fur - but Angler is almost all white, with lots of exposed pink skin on his butt and tummy. What can I do to help keep his skin safe? And is skin cancer really a consideration, or was our foster boy an anomaly? Thanks!

You are smart to consider sun protection, especially for Angler.

We have an almost 11 yr old white whippet. He has always been a lover of sun.

He has developed some red lesions on his abdomen over the last year. Our vet told us that they are either hemangiomas (non cancerous) or hemangiosarcomas (cancerous). Due to his special needs ( he had a spinal cord injury 4 yrs ago, some heart problems, and would not survive surgery or other extreme measures) we just need to see what happens. He is comfortable and happy for the time being.

The Merck Veterinary Manual says the following: note that the profile for at risk dogs are dogs with short, often white coats, "chronic solar injury", whippets, and italian greyhounds. So please take care of Angler out in the sun.

***

"Angiosarcomas, arguably the most aggressive of all soft-tissue tumors, are composed of cells that have many functional and morphologic features of normal endothelium. Although these tumors are often divided into hemangiosarcomas (of purported blood vessel origin) and lymphangiosarcomas (of lymphatic vessel origin), such a distinction is arbitrary. The term angioendothelioma is also used. These tumors generally arise spontaneously, but in dogs with short, often white coats, chronic solar injury has induced a change in the superficial vascular plexus, which initially appears as a hemangioma and then progresses to a malignant vascular tumor. The breeds prone to actinically induced angiosarcomas are Whippets, Italian Greyhounds, White Boxers, and Pit Bulls. Pathologists will often diagnose these lesions as cutaneous hemangiosarcomas."

On a side note.....our first whippet, Piper, also had hemangiosarcoma (along with the squamous cell carcinoma and nerve sheath tumors). We were lucky that we could put him under and use a laser to try to deal with the multiple small tumors he had from both the hemangio and squamous cell cancers. He was ok as long as the tumors stayed on the outside of his body......unfortunately, the hemangio eventually grew inside and we lost him. My hope is that your whippet has an easier time of it than Piper did.

[Guest kimberllee]

Dr Couto was asked about the risk for white hounds and skin cancer. His answer is that there is a higher incidence of skin cancer in black hounds.

 

That's not what I wanted to hear, with Miss Lexie! She will be getting her sunscreen, starting immediately, as it is already sunny and in the 80's here. It only takes a few minutes in the sun for her to feel hot to the touch. Poor girlie hound! (Although she seems to love the warmth...)

[fsugrad]

I'm just asking because in the past, I had a mostly-white foster boy who developed skin cancer on the bald parts of his stomach. I've never really given a thought to Jupiter's skin - he's darker and has more fur - but Angler is almost all white, with lots of exposed pink skin on his butt and tummy. What can I do to help keep his skin safe? And is skin cancer really a consideration, or was our foster boy an anomaly? Thanks!

You are smart to consider sun protection, especially for Angler.

We have an almost 11 yr old white whippet. He has always been a lover of sun.

He has developed some red lesions on his abdomen over the last year. Our vet told us that they are either hemangiomas (non cancerous) or hemangiosarcomas (cancerous). Due to his special needs ( he had a spinal cord injury 4 yrs ago, some heart problems, and would not survive surgery or other extreme measures) we just need to see what happens. He is comfortable and happy for the time being.

The Merck Veterinary Manual says the following: note that the profile for at risk dogs are dogs with short, often white coats, "chronic solar injury", whippets, and italian greyhounds. So please take care of Angler out in the sun.

***

"Angiosarcomas, arguably the most aggressive of all soft-tissue tumors, are composed of cells that have many functional and morphologic features of normal endothelium. Although these tumors are often divided into hemangiosarcomas (of purported blood vessel origin) and lymphangiosarcomas (of lymphatic vessel origin), such a distinction is arbitrary. The term angioendothelioma is also used. These tumors generally arise spontaneously, but in dogs with short, often white coats, chronic solar injury has induced a change in the superficial vascular plexus, which initially appears as a hemangioma and then progresses to a malignant vascular tumor. The breeds prone to actinically induced angiosarcomas are Whippets, Italian Greyhounds, White Boxers, and Pit Bulls. Pathologists will often diagnose these lesions as cutaneous hemangiosarcomas."

On a side note.....our first whippet, Piper, also had hemangiosarcoma (along with the squamous cell carcinoma and nerve sheath tumors). We were lucky that we could put him under and use a laser to try to deal with the multiple small tumors he had from both the hemangio and squamous cell cancers. He was ok as long as the tumors stayed on the outside of his body......unfortunately, the hemangio eventually grew inside and we lost him. My hope is that your whippet has an easier time of it than Piper did.

Paula, those are nasty little things, aren't they? Our vet told us that she could biopsy them to determine if they were cancerous or not, but we decided it was a moot point considering Comet's heart is too weak to undergo any kind of procedures. He was very lucky to have survived the ordeal from 4 yrs ago in which he sustained the spinal injury (if we didn't live in a town with a college of vet medicine I don't think he would have survived) so we are basically in hospice mode with him, keeping him happy and comfortable, not really knowing...

[Guest sweetrn621]

Anyone care to field the answer on whether or not we should also be applying sunblock to their little white legs too since they seem to have rather thin fur there as well?!?!????