Collagen Necrosis [lumps]

[collie]

After much concern over the lumps on my cobs back finally got a biopsy done and it was diagnosed as collagen necrosis. Basically anything can cause it and surgery is the only way to get rid of the lumps. Vet advice leave alone. However just for information the hair had come off the lumps so i have been treating with pig oil, although the lumps are still their the hair is growing back. These lumps are cosmetic and do not effect the horse. So anyone with similar probs dont worry about it and try pig oil. Just a pity they are right under the saddle.

 

[air78]

I had lumps under my saddle, which caused me loads of distress..... something MUST have been causing them. I had the vet, saddler and physio etc all out to check, and all diagnosed them as collagen necrosis (didn't have a biopsy done though) and oddly enough, since I've got a new saddle they've gone!!!

I'd have thought that if the hair has come off yours, that the saddle must be moving a bit? Maybe get a diffrent saddler out and see what they say?

 

[GreedyGuts]

Injecting steroid into the lumps is a better treatment than surgery and is very successful.

 

[sqippa]

Hiya,
My boy has this. It is apparently (according to my vet although this was 7 years ago) a type of autoimmune event, a bit like a skin version of hayfever. It is triggered by something such as insect bites or skin irritation which the body then over reacts to and then goes in to overdrive treating everything like an invading body. The skin forms a nodule and then collegen forms around the offending article (or where the horse thought there was one!). These nodules can be dispersed by themselves, may be ejected from the body and 'core' or just stay there.

Worst areas affected are those that have pressure such as under the saddle, shoulders and rump where rugs contact. The pressure increases the likelihood of tiny, normally insignificant skin abrassions, hairs pushing in, mud rubbing which will trigger an event.

They are cosmetic and to be honest, I'd leave well alone. My boy had one removed for biopsy, some injected with steroids but others just cleared up themselves, especially once summer came and rugs came off. However, I did find 1 thing helpful, homeopathic treatment by a homeopathic vet that is in our area, worth considering but if your horse isn't finding them an issue then why make them one? Removal and injection is way more agro then they are worth unless the nodules are actuallu sore.

Good luck and welcome to the club.
Sqip

 

[DuckToller]

Could you give me more details re homeopathic treatment? One of mine has these, came up suddenly after I used straw and never went away, some are around the girth area, although most on his gaskin/thigh area so I can ignore those. But it makes him hard to clip and the girth ones are very small nodules but looking sore. Was going to get a sheepskin girth cover but might just make it worse with all this mud...

He was previously seriously underfed so think his autoimmune system is a little askew so homeopathic could be just the job but got no contacts or knowledge!

 

[OliveOyl]

Mine had 3 of these lumps under her saddle. Changed her saddle, now in a wow saddle, with flair and the lumps have gone.

 

[sqippa]

Tim Couzens came out to see him and made up some powders for him. Not sure what was in them but they were specifically for the condition. Have to say they really did work. I still use the homeopathic vet whenever he has an allergy type issue (which he does do occasionally) and feel that this is the only viable option as conventional vets seem only to have steroids as a solution and I hate the idea of using these, especially systemically.

May be worth seeing if there is a homeopathic vet near you who can take a look. Interestingly my boy had some on his girth area which turned into girth galls. The only girth I can use safely with him now are the wintec elastic girths, not the ones that are antchaffing and shaped, just the standard ones. Might also be worth a try.

Sqip