DressageCob
Well-Known Member
Hello all!
I thought I'd share my horse's progress following surgery for a cyst removal.
Some will know the background... Albert has (or rather had) a lump by his mouth. I've had him for 5 years and it's been there in some form all of that time. However, it was tiny. It has gradually grown over the years. It's something I have pointed out to my vet when he has his injections done but the view was always "I don't know what it is, leave it". So I did. Breaking point was, however, when it had grown to the point of interfering with the flash on his bridle. The interference wasn't the problem- I can ride without a flash if need be. But it showed me that it had grown significantly and needed properly investigating. It's a bit like when you have a mole- you leave it because it looks normal then one day it isn't normal any more so you get it looked at!
Albert's new vet thought it was a sarcoid. Because of it's location it wasn't suitable for liverpool cream, lasers etc. So the plan was to do a little incision and see whether it can be popped out since there didn't seem to be a root (an unusual approach admittedly). when the vet injected local anaesthetic though he drew back and got a whole syringe of fluid out! So no sarcoid- it's a cyst (oh happy day!)
After lancing we hoped it could then be left for a few more months/years before it needed to be drained again. Alas the following day it had filled up. So we booked him in for surgery to remove it.
The surgery was done standing under sedation. The cyst was removed ok, but the surgeon found a mass underneath it, which probably caused the cyst in the first place. That's gone off for analysis
While he was in he decided to get an impaction so he had to stay in to be flushed through for 2 days. He's now home. He looks like a tin man because of the spray put on his face. The swelling is going down too
Anyway, I just thought I'd share! Has anyone else had something similar? I'm hoping the mass is just scar tissue...now is the waiting game
EEk sorry I don't know how to make the photos smaller :/
I thought I'd share my horse's progress following surgery for a cyst removal.
Some will know the background... Albert has (or rather had) a lump by his mouth. I've had him for 5 years and it's been there in some form all of that time. However, it was tiny. It has gradually grown over the years. It's something I have pointed out to my vet when he has his injections done but the view was always "I don't know what it is, leave it". So I did. Breaking point was, however, when it had grown to the point of interfering with the flash on his bridle. The interference wasn't the problem- I can ride without a flash if need be. But it showed me that it had grown significantly and needed properly investigating. It's a bit like when you have a mole- you leave it because it looks normal then one day it isn't normal any more so you get it looked at!
Albert's new vet thought it was a sarcoid. Because of it's location it wasn't suitable for liverpool cream, lasers etc. So the plan was to do a little incision and see whether it can be popped out since there didn't seem to be a root (an unusual approach admittedly). when the vet injected local anaesthetic though he drew back and got a whole syringe of fluid out! So no sarcoid- it's a cyst (oh happy day!)
After lancing we hoped it could then be left for a few more months/years before it needed to be drained again. Alas the following day it had filled up. So we booked him in for surgery to remove it.
The surgery was done standing under sedation. The cyst was removed ok, but the surgeon found a mass underneath it, which probably caused the cyst in the first place. That's gone off for analysis
While he was in he decided to get an impaction so he had to stay in to be flushed through for 2 days. He's now home. He looks like a tin man because of the spray put on his face. The swelling is going down too
Anyway, I just thought I'd share! Has anyone else had something similar? I'm hoping the mass is just scar tissue...now is the waiting game
EEk sorry I don't know how to make the photos smaller :/
