The potential role of sensors in equine melanoma prevention

It is common knowledge that avoiding excessive ultraviolet light exposure is key to good sun safety practices in humans and horses. Photoprotection and avoiding excessive ultraviolet light exposure can reduce the risk of actinic damage, skin cancers and premature ageing. Accurate, cheap and self-contained ultraviolet light sensor devices can measure parameters such as light intensity that in turn can be used to quantify the potential of light to cause harm. Knowledge of local light intensity is important because it can actively guide good sun safety practices. Other devices, called melanometers, can measure an individual’s skin sensitivity to ultraviolet light, quantify their tendency to sunburn and determine the degree of photoprotection required by that individual whilst outdoors. This article highlights the potential of the aforementioned devices and good sun safety practices to reduce the incidence and burden of skin cancers caused by excessive sunlight exposure in horses and other companion animals.