'SnoutCover' that prevents dogs from licking medicine applied to their noses can be DIYed with a 3D printer
Omri Hillel, the owner of his beloved dog Billy, had been applying medicine to his nose because of a skin condition, but he was troubled by the fact that Billy would lick the medicine off. In order to help Billy recover safely, he created a 'SnoutCover' to protect the medicine applied to his nose. Since many people have the same problem, Hillel sells the 'SnoutCover' and also distributes the blueprints so that people with a 3D printer can make their own.
SnoutCover - UV Nose Protector for Dogs with DLE
How I Designed and printed a Custom Nose Guard to Help My Dog with DLE | SnoutCover
The impetus for developing SnoutCover came when Hillel's beloved pit bull, Billy, developed a skin condition.
At first, Hillel thought Billy's nose had started to turn pink instead of black, but it was just age. But when Billy started whining every time he bumped his nose, and his skin started to become brittle and bleed, he took him to the vet, who diagnosed him with discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE).
Lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body's own tissues and nerves. Unlike systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) , which is designated as a specific intractable disease by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan, DLE only manifests as skin symptoms, and in Billy's case, his symptoms worsened exponentially when exposed to ultraviolet light.
The treatment was simple: apply medicated ointment, sunscreen, and avoid direct sunlight. However, the problem was that Billy would quickly lick off the medicine and sunscreen that was applied to his nose.
Hillel tried wrapping a cloth around Billy after applying the medicine, but Billy didn't like the cloth and would remove it himself. Also, keeping Billy indoors out of direct sunlight reduced his quality of life. Applying medicine immediately after he was licked was tiring and ineffective.
After listing the necessary conditions—'prevent the applied medicine from being licked off,' 'protect the nose from UV rays,' and 'ensure a comfortable environment without interfering with breathing, exercise, or eating'—Hillel realized there was no solution, so he decided to make his own.
First, to determine the necessary dimensions, they created five prototypes made of plastic, prioritizing speed. Based on feedback, the first working model was made of TPU for flexibility and comfort, but while the shape fit Billy's nose well, it had issues with breathability.
From there, they continued to make improvements, such as 'improving ventilation holes,' 'adding adjustable straps,' 'minimizing the coverage area,' and 'making it smooth so that it could be 3D printed.' Finally, they increased durability, and the final version, the 'SnoutCover,' was finally completed as the 13th prototype.
Thanks to the SnoutCover, Billy no longer had to lick the medicine out of his nose, and his condition improved with each passing month. After five months, his nose had returned to its natural black color and the pain had subsided.
Billy is wearing a fashionable pink model.
After posting his success story on MakerWorld and Reddit, Hillel realized there were other dogs and owners out there suffering from the same issues, so he decided to share the SnoutCover with the community.
Initially, the 3D model was only shared for free to help people in need, but because there was a large demand for ready-made products, it is also being sold for $40 (about 6,200 yen) each + shipping costs.
SnoutCover - Protective nose cover for dog DLE by OH! MakerWorld: Download free 3D models
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