American Yorkshires are easy to recognize: they’re typically very pale pink or off-white, with upright ears, long bodies, and a whole lot of pig. They’re one of the largest pig breeds humans have developed, but they’re often known for a gentle demeanor that can feel almost surprising in such a massive body.

At Odd Man Inn, many of our beloved Pinkies are Yorkshires or part-Yorkshires. And while their pale coloring is part of what makes them so visually distinctive, it also comes with one of the most important care considerations for this breed: sun damage.

Because American Yorkshires usually have very light skin, they are especially vulnerable to sunburn. For pigs living long lives in sanctuary, this is not just a temporary skin issue. Repeated UV exposure leads to chronic skin damage which more often than not develops into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

That’s why, for our Pinkies, zinc oxide sunscreen on sunny days is part of routine preventive healthcare.