Lump on horse's belly/sheath. Any ideas?

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Patterdale

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Before I start, I noticed this earlier but was too late to call the vet within normal hours, so as its not an emergency I've arranged for him to come Monday morning. Just wanted to know if anyone else had any ideas in the meantime! :)

Horse is a sec D gelding. I was clipping him earlier and he was extremely touchy around his sheath. He's 4 and a bit of a drama queen anyway so just put it down to this. However once I got through the forest of hair I saw that there was a lump, slightly smaller than a golf ball, at the front of his sheath/on his belly where sheath meets tummy.

It is smooth, round, and not rock hard but not squishy. It doesn't look like a sarcoid or melanoma as its so smooth. I'm hoping its just a cyst. REALLY wanted to stick a knife in it and see what came out but thought if better restrain myself and leave it to the professionals :D

Soooo.......anyone seen anything like this?
 
The first thing I thought was hernia but they don't normally cause much discomfort. Does it go back in if you push it?
 
I thought about an umbilical hernia but it is literally pretty much on the front of the sheath, so a bit far back, plus it's to one side instead of dead centre. Can't rule it out though.

I'm not sure whether to have the vet on Monday or just keep an eye on it. Could have been there for years as ive never clipped it before. On the one hand if its something nasty I don't want to leave it, but on the other hand I hate getting the vet out for trivial things.

Might have another poke at it tomorrow and maybe take some pics :)
 
There is very little hair in this area and it would be very easy to see a lump the size of a 'golf ball'. No wonder he was touchy with being clipped and that is a very odd area to be clipping just in front of the sheath. If it is this size it would have been there for quite a while, and I have experience of a horse with sarcoids in this area. Have to say your quote of 'It could of been there for years' is to say the least bizarre.... as in this area it would be easy to see due to lack of hair.
I would strongly advise not to 'poke or prod' as if as you say 'it could have been there for years' and this is a very young horse at 4years old says quite a lot.
Get the vet out and go from there.
 
seems unlikely at this time of year but with the odd warm weather I guess it could be a bite of some sort. our little Ted had what sounds very similar year or so ago and it was a bite, he was a bit tender on it but not overly so, it tracked it's way up towards his front legs over the course of a week and then was gone!
 
It could be an edema. My horse had one in exactly the same place, it got bigger and spread across her belly towards her front legs. Called vet and she put her on bute but to be honest it never did anything. She has had another since and it just went on its own after a few days
 
What I said was it is very easy to see a lump the size of a golf ball 'just in front of the sheath' is not something your can miss when you check horse daily. Also poster said it could have been there for 'years' but has now edited that bit............
 
Chestnut horse said:
There is very little hair in this area and it would be very easy to see a lump the size of a 'golf ball'. No wonder he was touchy with being clipped and that is a very odd area to be clipping just in front of the sheath. If it is this size it would have been there for quite a while, and I have experience of a horse with sarcoids in this area. Have to say your quote of 'It could of been there for years' is to say the least bizarre.... as in this area it would be easy to see due to lack of hair.
I would strongly advise not to 'poke or prod' as if as you say 'it could have been there for years' and this is a very young horse at 4years old says quite a lot.
Get the vet out and go from there.
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Lol.

Generally when clipping I don't leave a landing strip in front of his bits, but if you do then fair play! I said 'smaller than a golf ball' too - I couldn't think of any other 'ball' to compare it with!
As a very hairy native who has been turned away (as youngsters should be) I have NOT noticed it, as it has, as I say, been covered in hair.

And I still fully intend to have a little poke at it. How else to know if it changes?

Thanks for your condescending post though :)
 
Ibblebibble said:
seems unlikely at this time of year but with the odd warm weather I guess it could be a bite of some sort. our little Ted had what sounds very similar year or so ago and it was a bite, he was a bit tender on it but not overly so, it tracked it's way up towards his front legs over the course of a week and then was gone!
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Could be. Doesn't seem to be a 'centre' to it though which I'd expect with a bite. But who knows?? He had a tick on him not far away from it but I don't think it's anything like that as it doesn't seem infected. There was no pus and it wasn't especially warm. I'm not sure he was even sore on it, he seemed more ticklish around the general area, rather than sore, as when the domosedan kicked in (he's a funny beggar and I wanted to clip his head etc with no dramas or twitching) he didnt mind me clipping near it at all, and you'd think if it was very painful he'd at least twitch!

Kelly1982 said:
It could be an edema. My horse had one in exactly the same place, it got bigger and spread across her belly towards her front legs. Called vet and she put her on bute but to be honest it never did anything. She has had another since and it just went on its own after a few days
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This is interesting - could be! Thanks.

Goldenstar said:
Is it hard or soft Patterdale .
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It's......neither especially. Helpful I know! It feels almost as if its full of fluid, which is why I thought cyst, but I could be wrong. Ill get some pics tomorrow if I can.
 
Patterdale said:
Could be. Doesn't seem to be a 'centre' to it though which I'd expect with a bite. But who knows?? He had a tick on him not far away from it but I don't think it's anything like that as it doesn't seem infected. There was no pus and it wasn't especially warm. I'm not sure he was even sore on it, he seemed more ticklish around the general area, rather than sore, as when the domosedan kicked in (he's a funny beggar and I wanted to clip his head etc with no dramas or twitching) he didnt mind me clipping near it at all, and you'd think if it was very painful he'd at least twitch!



This is interesting - could be! Thanks.



It's......neither especially. Helpful I know! It feels almost as if its full of fluid, which is why I thought cyst, but I could be wrong. Ill get some pics tomorrow if I can.
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Is his sheath swollen at all ?
 
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