Melanomas?? Any advice

T

travelmad

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 September 2012
Messages
488
Visit site
OH tried very nice, suitable, affordably price horse. Really likes it. From very reputable home that sells lots of horses with a great reutation. He is very happy to go ahead and buy, but just mentioned it has 3 melanomas - 2 on face, 1 under 'armpit'. I have no melanoma experience. It's an older horse so only likely to get veteran insurance anyway, prob without vet cover.

Anyone tell me a melanoma story on their grey? Big deal or something people just get hooked up on?
 
I have a grey with quite a few small melanoma's under his tail and a large one on his sheath. It doesn't effect him at all. I keep an eye on them hoping they don't burst but according to my bet you can freeze them off which will only anger them and come back or leave them alone. I know what I prefer.

Where I work we had a pony PTS as she had melanoma's in her mouth and on her anus which were clear signs that she probably had them all through her body, as she struggled to eat and poo as they got bigger it was decided to have her PTS. But saying that, that is the only bad experience I've had of them, we have 4 others with them at work and they cope fine.
 
I lost my beloved grey connie x last year at 14. I'd bought her as a 9 year old with small melanomas under her dock but unfortunately when she was about 12 1/2 they became very aggressive and grew very quickly. In the end she was put down due to mastitis but this was almost certainly linked to melanomas as they say if you can see them outside then there are almost certainly melanomas inside. Would I buy her again,yes definitely and if the horse you are looking at is right in every other way and is older anyway then I wouldn't be put off buying but it would definitely affect what I would be prepared to pay.
 
Most greys over 14 will have some so if the horse you are thinking of buying is older, I would be less concerned than a young horse. Some never cause issues but you never can tell what is going on internally

Most melanomas don't cause an immediate issue but I would be wary about melanoma's on head. The link below shows one my lad's melanoma who will be 17 this year. It first appeared end of 2005 then grew massively after biopsied. He also had them in the usual places on his dock and can feel a few others on his neck. He is happy in himself just now but not sure tbh how long he will continue to be ridden for if the melanoma grows further down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVygo9SIXKE

Nothing has touched it, cimetidine, sarc-ex etc.... now we just leave alone and try to do our best regarding bridles and use of sheepskin to ease pressure
 
Thanks everyone for replies.

Jnhuck... You have answered a question that was driving me mad all year ... I saw someone with one of these bridles and spent months trying to find ut what it was called until I watched that YouTube clip!
 
my 12yo gelding is currently having one on his dock treated. He's had it since a 5yo (and I've hd him since he was rising 4) but it suddenly grew much bigger last spring. £1Ks worth of cimetidine made no difference and he's currently on cisplatin which is making him sore and miserable. It got so big that it was rubbing his butt cheeks and looked like it would ulcerate so we had to do something then. The cisplatin will only affect the one melanoma, not the ones we cannot see.
Ones that are where tack would fit/rub would bother me however, if he's 17 and you can be sure they've not altered in the last few years he may well be worth a punt. Personally I wouldn't buy one with existing melanoma-others aren't so bothered.
 
Jnhuck, my mare has a similar melanoma, albeit smaller, not expanding onto her face, just in her jawline, approx 10cm wide, 5cm tall, depth, well, 5cm out from what I can see. She also has them in her mouth (won't affect her just yet) and on her dock and above her eye socket. I wouldn't swap her for the world but I'd never have another grey and risk this happening again, it's torture knowing that there's going to be some internally as well. There's nothing I can do, cimetidine hasn't worked, and neither has green tea extract and currently she's on some Indian curry spice of which the name escapes me but its orange and name begins with a T I think, I found online that its been shown to possibly help so, for the price it costs, it's worth it.

But to answer your question OP, if the horse in question is perfect in every other way, it's maybe worth a shot, but be prepared for their unwanted welcome into the world at rocket speed, it's awful not knowing whether you're coming or going, or when you get the odd looks from people saying 'errr your horse has lumps, is she infectious' - well no she's not, hence why I ride her out and compete her! So I wouldn't personally, but it doesn't mean to say it should put you off, I'm under the impression that most horses with melanomas don't die from the melanomas but from other causes so...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top