The skin constitutes one of the largest systems of the body, performing outstanding duties and being the site of numerous changes that induce the owners to come after the veterinary services. The feline solar dermatitis is an environmental disease that affects white cats or cats with white skin areas mainly on the nose and ears. This disease is caused by the skin exposition to ultra-violet (UV) radiation and may envolve to a squamous cell carcinoma when a prolonged exposition period takes place. Initially, the lesions consists of severe erythema of the ear evolving to scaling and formation of a marginal crust. Control of solar dermatitis consists of avoiding exposition to sun light, chiefly in the hotest hours of the day. To do that, owners must either restrain their pets during sunny hours or use solar filters or tattoos in the skin areas. Once the lesions have already evolved to squamous cell carcinoma, dijferent therapeutic methods are recommended. Among them can be cited surgical methods to remove all the neoplasm, radiotherapy, photochemotherapy, hyperthermic methods and the use of glucocorticoids.
feline solar dermatitis; squamous cell carcinoma; white cats