connected to melanomas?

[teddysheep]

Hi, would appreciate some advice. I have a 12y grey Welsh A, vet came & checked him re:lameness approx 3 weeks ago (now sorted) & whilst there I got him to verify that 2 small nodules he has, 1 marble sized one in the sheath & a tiny pin sized one under the tail were melanomas - they were. Vet said all was OK, no treatment just keep an eye on them. Pony has never bothered about me doing my usually checks on them, cleaning sheath/under tail etc etc. until a week ago when he went ballistic! There I was almost getting my head kicked in, on the floor, shining torch up pony's nether regions, risking life & limb desperately trying to look expecting the worst but the melanoma looked fine, no change. After 45mins of 'softly, softly approach', I managed to clean sheath (seemed to get some relief from the water) & all was well. Tried again today & no way was he having it, but I could see no change in the nodule. Turned my attention to the tail & usually this pony will lift his tail right up in the tail - Mr bendy flexy, but he has it clamped right down the minute you touch the underside of the dock & he was basically trying to sit down like a dog, if I'd pursued, he'd have hit the roof rearing. I just don't know what this is about, I can only think of the melanomas thinking the two. Again from what I could just about see, no difference in the appearance of the nodule under the tail. Maybe the 2 aren't linked at all, I don't know but I don't know why he'd be behaving like this with the tail & the sheath?
Any bright ideas?

 

[be positive]

Having know several greys with melanomas far worse than yours they have never caused a reaction even if prodded fairly firmly, your pony sounds as if he is in pain but it is unlikely to be from the melanomas you can see, it is possible there is something else going on, could he have pulled a muscle in his back, something related to the earlier lameness? or that he is reacting to your concern and stress about their existence, most are slow growing, cause little trouble even when they get very large, I would probably get a physio to give him a check and if nothing shows try and leave the melanomas alone for a while, you will soon notice if they grow rapidly without too much monitoring.

 

[teddysheep]

thanks for the reply. This is all v possible. The tail tension did make be think of back problems. I have been back out & managed to (poor Buttons) squeeze the melanoma just lightly in the sheath & this led to kicking (he never kicks), but whether this is just associated with my approach or actual discomfort I don't know, but there is def. something going on. Like you say, melanomas don't usually cause any discomfort as such....sounds like my purse will be opened again!