I Designed and Printed a Custom Nose Guard to Help My Dog with DLE

Summary

Billie's Story: How Love and Innovation Created SnoutCoverWhen our pitbull Billie was diagnosed with Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE), we had no idea how much our lives, and hers were about to change. This is the story of how desperation, love, and a 3D printer led to the creation of SnoutCover.The Beginning: When Everything ChangedBillie's nose started changing gradually. At first, we thought it was just normal aging—her beautiful black nose began losing pigment, turning pink in patches. But then came the crusting, the scaling, and worst of all, the pain.Every time she bumped her nose, even slightly, she would yelp. The skin became so fragile that minor contact would cause bleeding. The once-smooth "cobblestone" texture of her nose disappeared, replaced by raw, damaged tissue that seemed to get worse with each passing day.The Sun Made Everything WorseOur vet confirmed what we feared: Discoid Lupus Erythematosus. The autoimmune disease was causing Billie's immune system to attack the healthy cells on her nose. Sunlight made it exponentially worse—UV rays triggered flare-ups that left her in visible discomfort.The treatment plan seemed simple enough: apply medicated ointment, use sunscreen, and keep her out of direct sunlight. But anyone who's tried to keep medication on a dog's nose knows the immediate problem—they lick it off within seconds.The Frustrating Search for SolutionsWe tried everything available on the market:Sunscreen balms – Licked off immediatelyFabric nose shields – She rubbed them off constantlyKeeping her indoors – Reduced her quality of life drasticallyReapplying medication constantly – Exhausting and ineffectiveNothing worked. We watched helplessly as Billie's condition worsened. The bleeding became more frequent. She became hesitant to play, clearly associating activity with the pain of bumping her sensitive nose.We needed something that would: protect her nose from UV rays, prevent her from licking off medication, stay securely in place, allow ...