Melanoma vaccine

[racebuddy]

Anybody had this done ,
Success ? Not success ?

 

[melle]

I tried it on my 8 year old mare. Large melanoma in her neck which after the initial treatment seemed to reduce slightly. However on the 6 month scan it was still the same thickness and now it looks the same as before. She would be due a booster jab this month but I've decided against continuing. It is so expensive, the trial results aren't that convincing, the original melanoma looks the same size and she has popped another smaller lump behind her ear whilst being treated . . .

 

[Bernster]

Interesting timing. Am about to phone my vet to discuss a booster. Had the first course about 6 months or so back. Had one lump on right perotid gland. Seemed to slow down but recently just had a growth spurt and the left side is starting now too. Gutted. Was worth a try as he’s insured but I need to check on whether there is a booster.

Its hard to know of course if it makes a difference as you don’t know what it would be like without it.

Not come across anything else to try either. So just have to hope it doesn’t impact him for a long long time. Interested to hear other people’s experiences.

 

[tatty_v]

My boy’s had the original vaccine and then several boosters and they seem to have stopped them from growing any more. From what I understand the results are very variable from horse to horse but some do show an astonishing improvement.

 

[Bernster]

Tatty do you remember how often the boosters were?

 

[tatty_v]

I think we’ve had boosters every 6 months. It’s not cheap, but we can’t remove my boy’s melanomas surgically (they are around his bottom, in his sheath, and too close together) so it’s our only treatment option. I also hope that it might help stave off any internal melanomas. We haven’t seen any dramatic improvement on the external ones, but we do measure them regularly and they haven’t increased materially. Fingers crossed!

 

[Goldenstar]

When you say not cheap can you remember the ball park figure .

 

[RhossT]

We have had fantastic results with my pony. Regrowth after initial surgery and treatment was horrendously quick. However, two years on, he is on annual boosters. Vet came out for six month check up and was struggling to find any trace of melanomas on sheath or round dock.
Goldenstar - not sure about cost as initial surgery and first 3 injections were covered by insurance. Annual boosters cost about £200-300. This includes trip to Dick Vet, sedation if required (injection is a bit noisy) and pain relief for the next 5 days. Given the only other option we were likely to face was euthanasia, we feel this is well worth it.
Own vet says success rate is about 50% but I don't think they can predict which half horse is likely to fall into.

 

[Annagain]

Mine is riddled - in his sheath, tail and around his bottom. But as ugly as they are, they don't seem to bother him so we're leaving them well alone. We first noticed one around his anus when he was 12 and the vet then found a lot inside his sheath. They were a long way inside so not visible normally but they were already too numerous and close together to remove surgically without a major re-section op so we just left them alone. The plan was to intervene if they became a problem. 11 years later, they've grown but don't seem to cause him too many issues, he still wees with no problems and as they're contained they rarely ulcerate - I thikn i've dealt with 2 ulcerated ones in 11 years. We're now past the age where I'd consider a GA an option now, especially as he has other issues (the most recent being the start of a cateract, we've just found out). I was told when he was 12 that anything past 20 would be a bonus so I'm just grateful for every healthy day we have.

Had the vaccine been around when we first found them I would definitely have tried it but I now know melanomas aren't as terrifying a prospect as I once thought they were. They're a pain in the backside as I have to sedate him every 3 months to clean inside his sheath (he won't let me touch him there without sedation) but it is possible to live a 99% normal life with them so don't panic if the vaccine doesn't work.

 

[racebuddy]

Thanks for all your repleis , ross t have messaged u , also its hard to know what to do best as used all insurance in firsr year have paid for last three years , he has had internal ones removed sheath and mouth and girth area removed / has got them in his gutteral pouches also , hard to know if to spend the money on a vaccine that may not work and then may still require further surgery 😩😩

 

[tatty_v]

When you say not cheap can you remember the ball park figure .

The initial loading dose of four was covered by the insurance so I can’t remember exactly but I think we’re talking >£1k, then the boosters as RhossT says above. Definitely not a cheap option but as ours weren’t suitable for surgery it was the only option we had (bar leaving them alone).

Annagain - we have to have regular sheath cleans too as the lumps and bumps mean it can get infected if not kept clean. My boy used to kick me in the head if I even went near that area but now he’ll let me do a half decent job without sedation - he must have got used to it! I still get the vet to do a thorough clean under sedation fairly regularly though to be on the safe side.

 

[RhossT]

Racebuddy - I have messaged you back

 

[Annagain]

The initial loading dose of four was covered by the insurance so I can’t remember exactly but I think we’re talking >£1k, then the boosters as RhossT says above. Definitely not a cheap option but as ours weren’t suitable for surgery it was the only option we had (bar leaving them alone).

Annagain - we have to have regular sheath cleans too as the lumps and bumps mean it can get infected if not kept clean. My boy used to kick me in the head if I even went near that area but now he’ll let me do a half decent job without sedation - he must have got used to it! I still get the vet to do a thorough clean under sedation fairly regularly though to be on the safe side.

Mine has never got used to it - he's just even more wise to what's happening when he sees me walking towards him with the rubber gloves on! He's never been nasty though, just throws himself around to avoid me - but 16.3hh and 670kg of throwing himself around is not to be taken lightly!

 

[tatty_v]

Mine has never got used to it - he's just even more wise to what's happening when he sees me walking towards him with the rubber gloves on! He's never been nasty though, just throws himself around to avoid me - but 16.3hh and 670kg of throwing himself around is not to be taken lightly!

We can get away with it as it’s only 15hh of Connie ;-) nice to know there are others in the same position as us though!

 

[Inda]

I'm the club too. Waiting on the first dose to arrive to start. The sarcoid diagnosed by the vet turned out to be malignant melanoma.

 

[RhossT]

Inda - Have messaged you