Melanoma question - any advice?

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MJC

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Hello, can anyone offer some advice please?
I am in the process of buying a grey horse from Ireland - he's passed the 5-stage vetting but the vet explained that a marble-size lump, that the horse has had for 4 yrs since he was one yr old, and that hasn't grown in size, is a melanoma.
It isn't troubling the horse and doesn't obstruct the saddle - however I am concerned that it may get knocked one day, or that a rug may rub it - it protudes from the back by around 1.5 cm. Also it looks unattractive, but that's not a major issue.
I gather around 80% of greys get melanomas, and the vet says (a) it is probably harmless and (b) equally it is easily removed, as it is just a skin lump and not attached to anything.
The owner has agreed to have the lump removed by the horse's vet before I take delivery of the horse.
Am I being foolish in having it removed for what's essentially cosmetic purposes?
I don't have any experience of melanomas...
Any advice appreciated!
 
Only a bit of reassurance from one single person's individual experience, my old grey boy had a few melanomas under his tail by veteran age and wasn't troubled by them. That said, a) he was one horse and b) they can be tricky customers and I don't have any experience of them appearing at such a young age. That would be my bigger concern. However, I'm not a vet...

Out of curiosity, how are you sure that he's had it for four years and since a year old? Are you going on the owner's say or have you used the owner's vet?
 
Hi there
It is bang slap around half way along saddle gullet, along spine, but the saddle doesn't rub it at all, as the gullet passes over it. The owner / breeder told me it had been there since 1 y/o and the vet that vetted him said it hadn't grown since the horse was microchipped, which he carried out. (The horse isn now 5).
I wonder if it is best to leave well alone?
 
If it is causing no problems then I wouldn't touch it at all.
Keep an eye on it and have a vet (who is experienced in lumps/melanomas/sarcoids) to take a look if it shows any changes or becomes rubbed or sore.
Best of luck with the new horse!
 
I'd be going on the vet's advice above all else and a second opinion is often good to hear, so it was me I'd ask my own vet to check it over when s/he was next there, e.g. for jabs, or email them some pics and my sum knowledge of the issue and ask for an opinion. My understanding is that if it's not causing any obvious issues, these things are generally best left alone but kept a close eye on for any change. Taking photos regularly can help with this in case you do find there's any change in future.
 
Thanks for your advice!!! Just spoke to a vet over here at an equine hospital and they pretty much said what you guys said - leave well alone and keep an eye on it... Thanks again, MJC
 
Having had and still have horses with them, hear are my thoughts.

1yrs old is very young to have one especially of that size and IF it is a melanoma then you can bet he will get more if he hasn't already.

If you're going to ride this horse then you will have to be super vigilant that the saddle cloth doesn't pull down onto it which it could well do even if the gullet misses it. And that doesn't allow for if the saddle has slipped slightly and then rubs it raw, which in turn could kick off a growth spurt.

One of my horses has many from inside his mouth, inside his sheath to under his tail. He's a very happy active boy BUT I do keep a close eye on him as I know that theres a chance that they may be inside him too.

Best of luck!
 
You will probably find that they will grow slowly with age, so I would be a little concerned about the location.

Although I've also seen a melanoma grow, and then go (I had but him on sarc ex - and 6 months later it was gone - but you never know if it could have gone by itself..)
 
That is very young to have a melanoma,and in a very odd place. My experience with these was my first mare developing a first one at thirteen on her mid tail. Slowly over the years it progressed,until it was the reason she was PTS at 24 years.Inside she was packed with tumours, and by the distinctive smell I think one or more had ruptured inside. They did not cause pain until the last day. Personally I would leave this one and look elsewhere for a horse,and not grey. My horses stay all their lives here,and this one`s could be shortened.
 
I'd personally avoid melanomas, especially on a young horse (I'm guessing he's about 5)? My grey gelding started developing them around the same age - he's now 14.

8 years on, I've just had a HUGE (seriously - grapefruit-sized) melanoma removed from inside his sheath, because it got to the stage where he couldn't drop his penis anymore. The operation was a bit touch-and-go and was only successful because the vet was such a skilled surgeon (most vets wouldn't have touched the thing and just have put him down).

He's also got loads on his dock and under his tail, one on his neck which fits neatly into my cupped hand and one between his ear and his forelock, which is growing. Neither seem to cause him trouble at the moment, but it worries me constantly thinking about what might be growing inside him.
 
I had a horse vetted, and found he had a small melanoma under his tail, he was also 5 years old. After talking it over with my vet I decided against the purchase, it was too much of a risk for me personally to take.

I'd had to deal with sarcoids on a previous horse, and found the whole experience stressful, and taking on a horse with melanomas just seemed like moving from one potentialy serious skin problem to another.

We all have to decide what we're personally happy to take on, no horse is perfect, but buying a horse with a condition that I was very aware could spread and cause issues, was not a risk I was happy to take. I now have a horse with no lumps or bumps (touches lots of wood!), but he does have a buck in him on occasion- again, it's all about what risks you personally are happy to take. Good luck whatever you decide.
 
Having lost a horse due to Melanomas I would steer clear personally. It's not the ones you can see that you need to worry about but they can develop them internally and you have no idea until it is too late to do anything about them.
 
Happy Horse said:
Having lost a horse due to Melanomas I would steer clear personally. It's not the ones you can see that you need to worry about but they can develop them internally and you have no idea until it is too late to do anything about them.
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree 10000000000000000000% having also lost a horse to melanomas. I'd also never buy another grey. Couldn't go through it again :(
 
Our 6yr old had one at vetting on his neck. Same thing the size of a small marble the plan was to have it removed, during this winter so no flys around. It is not a problem to him and not in the way at all. BUt he had a virus during the summer and was quite low and flat for a while during this time he developed two in his bottom on the out side skin. My vets feel these could also be removed but would be harder to do and keep clean while they heal.
For the moment we have put him on global herbs stuff to boost his immune system and for sarcoids... the lumps themselves don't overly worry me as we also have at 16yr with them and came with them..another grey...but with the pony we know he will now be very hard to sell on when outgrown...and still young...hopefully the global herbs stuff maybe the answer..
I do admit we would not have brought him if he had the one's in his bottom at the time.
 
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