Melanoma removal

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Po Knee

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Does anyone have experience of laser removal of melanoma?

Pony is question is 26 years old with fairly extensive melanoma around the anus (otherwise healthy), and the vet has suggested he'd be a good candidate for laser removal.

What are the pro's and con's? Part of me is leaping with joy that something could be done, but I also have the approach that just because something can be done, it doesn't mean it should be done. So yeah, totally on the fence at present.

If anyone has been in my position, and has gone ahead with the removal...did it make a huge difference? I don't want to put him through anything traumatic unnecessarily.

Thanks for reading. All experiences both positive and negative very welcome.
 
I don’t have any answers for you @Po Knee but I’d be interested in others responses as my mare has a melanoma under her tail which is slowly growing. Maybe try posting this in The Tack Room where more members are likely to see it?
 
Does the melanoma cause him any issues at the moment? Are they rubbing and open at all or interfering with him pooing?

I don’t have any experience with removal I’m afraid but my mare is 22 with melanomas under her tail (and one on her bum cheek). I’ve opted not to do anything about them at the moment as she hasn’t travelled in 15 years and is a nervy sort, been retired for many years and is getting a bit stiff generally. The one on her bum cheek does get the skin rubbed off when she rolls in the summer and has a thin coat, but I keep it covered and I don’t think she can feel it actually. The others do not bother her so far and I suspect she has many more internally. With that in mind I’ve decided not to take further action in my case (and she has several under her tail, not just one).

I’m not really sure what the lasering entails in terms of recovery etc. I think for a 26yr old I’d probably question going down that path, but of course if he’s in great health otherwise he may live several years more.
 
I've never had a vet recommend laser removal so I don't know what it entails but if they don't cause a problem I wouldn't touch them. The unknown is what does she have internally which are far more likley to cause problems. I suppose the question I would ask the vet is what is the benefit of removal?
 
Po Knee said:
Does anyone have experience of laser removal of melanoma?

Pony is question is 26 years old with fairly extensive melanoma around the anus (otherwise healthy), and the vet has suggested he'd be a good candidate for laser removal.

What are the pro's and con's? Part of me is leaping with joy that something could be done, but I also have the approach that just because something can be done, it doesn't mean it should be done. So yeah, totally on the fence at present.

If anyone has been in my position, and has gone ahead with the removal...did it make a huge difference? I don't want to put him through anything traumatic unnecessarily.

Thanks for reading. All experiences both positive and negative very welcome.
Click to expand...
My friend’s elderly mare, at Liverpool hospital. Melanomas under her tail, in the anus, vet was concerned it would interfere with defecation.
Tbh, it wasn’t a success, because although the tumours didn’t re grow, the wound never fully healed - and obviously in a bad location for ‘keeping clean’.
Twice daily needed cleaning for nearly a year, when the old girl was euthanised with colic.
If he is unbothered by them, and otherwise happy, you might be better leaving well alone at 26. Good luck.
 
Had it done on two greys one had significant growth around the anus and the fear was it would block the anus.

As the horse was quite a routine boy he would go off food and colic if away from home we opted to do a day appointment it is strongly encouraged that you do overnight for vet care in case of any issues.

The recovery involved pain meds twice a day and gentle cleaning of the area. It healed amazing and after about 6 months of his recovery I opted to get the second done. I paid ~700 for everything.
They were both off work for about 6 weeks with controlled turnout. We did the first one around this time so it healed before the flies and also the other horses were in anyway so made it easier.

You have to keep the bed clean and monitor but it was not as big an issue as I thought it would be. He is 15 so younger than your gut. The first night he was mildly colicky and I reckon it was pain but it did pass and he was back to himself by day 3.

He was a severe case and I have been recommended to bring him back and get a second go as there was significant growth they couldn't do it all at once it would be too much. I'm looking at bringing him back maybe March time I think
 
There's a lot of variables, my instinctive reaction was to say that at 26 I'd not put them through an operation in such a sensitive and difficult to keep clean area. Then I re-read your post and realised that you had specified 'pony' rather than horse. I guess ponies tend to live longer than their larger counterparts so it may still have quite a few years ahead of it particularly as you say otherwise healthy.

I think the best thing to do is have a thorough discussion with your vet who has seen the size and location of the melanomas. Discuss the likely wound size, recovery times, likely level of discomfort, risks of surgery (will it be done standing?), risks and time scale of deterioration if growth not removed, risk of internal growths (hard to say I know). I think you need to get as much information as you can do whatever decision you make you are confident you understand the full implications. Not an easy decision for sure, I wish you all the best whatever you decide
 
Po Knee said:
Does anyone have experience of laser removal of melanoma?

Pony is question is 26 years old with fairly extensive melanoma around the anus (otherwise healthy), and the vet has suggested he'd be a good candidate for laser removal.

What are the pro's and con's? Part of me is leaping with joy that something could be done, but I also have the approach that just because something can be done, it doesn't mean it should be done. So yeah, totally on the fence at present.

If anyone has been in my position, and has gone ahead with the removal...did it make a huge difference? I don't want to put him through anything traumatic unnecessarily.

Thanks for reading. All experiences both positive and negative very welcome.
Click to expand...
Pony has had several removed by laser at Dick Vet. No problems whatsoever, definitely not remotely traumatic. There really wasn't a choice initially as he was riddled with melanomas, including on sheath and round anus, so real possibility of blockage of urine or dung. Since then he has been on the melanoma vaccine which has been great. It has definitely reduced the growth and spread. However, all the operations were done when he was much younger. He is now 21 and we have decided not to have more surgery as healing took longer as he got older.
 
Thank you very much for all your replies - they are much appreciated.

At present, although sizeable, the melanomas on his bottom are not causing an issue, and I am very aware that there are probably internal melanoma too which, of course, are an unknown quantity. He does also have them in his sheath and lips so they're pretty widespread unfortunately.

In speaking with the vet it seems the op is done under sedation with local anaesthetic. I do have concerns about recovery time, and also rate of regrowth, so maybe I need to have another chat but my gut feeling, at his age, is probably to leave well alone.

Thanks again everyone, your comments are very helpful.
 
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