Sun Allergy?- saw the vet

I've been trying to find out about this online but so far I can't find anything that helps at all. Bella is 7 & half months now so the last few days is the first time she has been out in really sunny weather. The day we walked along the esplanade the sun was on one side of her and that whole side came out in lumps, but not the other side which made me wonder about the sun instead of an allergy to something else. When we got home the lumps went down, then on thursday at the park her lower eyelids got a little swollen looking. It was a nice day but not as hot and sunny as the day before. I didn't let her run around in the sun and we had plenty of rests and water. The only thing I've been able to find is about white dogs and sun sensitivity and was hoping someone here might have an idea if it could be that even though she has dark colouring.

Hmmm. Could be the heat? What happened when you got home, did the lumps go down quickly?

They went down really quickly when I got home. I was thinking of giving her piriton but I didn't because of how quickly they went

What I'd try first is putting a bit of sun screen (children's high number one) on her before you go aout. If she still gets lumps then it's an allergy to something else!

ahh, great idea, thank you! I'll try that

Piriton is fine to give if you want, but best to try the screen first. You can get some quite good deals this time of year - BOGOF & buy one get one half price, that sort of thing.

I'll leave the piriton until I've tried the sunscreen and make sure its not that first. Had a wee chuckle there at the comments I will get from my family putting sunscreen on her, they already say "she's a dog not a child" every time they see me

A farmer near me rubs sunscreen in his 30 pigs every morning & afternoon in the summer!

That would be a full time job

Some humans can get solar urticaria, which is like a nettle rash after sun exposure, don't know if possible in dogs? Try Googling and ask your vet.

Thank you. She is due her wormer so I'll be asking the vet when I'm up for that. Bought sunscreen the other day and there hasn't been any sun here since, typical! I done a little patch test to make sure there wasn't any irritation from it and it seems fine. It goes on blue then the colour fades but it does leave a slight blue tinge on her white bits. Punk puppy

Millie&Bella wrote: It goes on blue then the colour fades but it does leave a slight blue tinge on her white bits. Punk puppy

Well, at least it's different!

Let us know what the vet thinks.

I will. It's snowing today here so it's probably going to be a while before I can try out the sunscreen
I looked up solar urticaria and it can happen with any colour of dog so I will ask about that

Little update about Bella coming out in lumps after being in the sun. Right after that the sun disappeared so I didn't get to try out using sunscreen to rule out the sun, it's Scotland, probably won't see it again for months
The last few days it's been pretty cold here so I put a small heater on and after a short time lying in front of it Bellas' face started to swell. The next day I put it back on and let her lie in front of it, keeping an eye on her to check if it was the heat and not something else. Same thing happened. I didn't let her lie there long and as soon as any swelling showed I put off the heater but I do feel bad for letting her lie there to try it out I suppose I know now that it was most likely the heat that day and not the sun.

Hmmm. That's odd. Can't help thinking that it's something else, that's made worse by the heat - not the heat itself.

It did surprise me how quickly it happened. It was a halogen heater, no idea if that would make a difference From googling halogen heaters I just found something that said they maybe arent the best heaters for anyone who is UV sensitive

8pawprints wrote:Some humans can get solar urticaria, which is like a nettle rash after sun exposure, don't know if possible in dogs? Try Googling and ask your vet.

I know - I have this reaction in the sun. I never venture outdoors summer or winter without SPF 50 protection.

It sounds really painful Lynne. Must be difficult when you live somewhere warm.

I took Bella to the vet yesterday about the lumps coming out in the sun and in front of the heater and she said it was really unusual, she hadn't seen it before but it sounded like an allergy to the uv light. She said to walk her when the sun wasn't so strong and give her piriton for it. If she was white I could use sunscreen but it wouldn't make a difference because of her colour. I didn't really get that bit because surely it would be a bit of protection against it. So no real answer and didn't really tell me anything I didn't know

Not much help. The piriton may be good, though.

Has she been ok since?

The weather hasn't been too great here since then, mostly dull or raining, Yesterday the sun was out but it kept clouding over and was pretty cold so it hasn't happened again. I'll be keeping a close eye on her once it gets better. I was hoping the vet would have known something about it.

It's difficult to see it when the sun isn't so strong as the swelling is only really noticeable around her eyes

Poor thing. Let's hope you can keep it under control.

I know, I feel so bad for her

This sounds like my dog! Either he has a stinging nettle allergy or something heat related. he's covered in lumps and bumps and he's white which makes it worse! I did put sun cream on him, but he's a dog... chances are he's licked it off! I have no idea what to do! x