Melanomas on ponies

[SpruceRI]

Can anyone recommend any Homeopathic medicines that might reduce my ponys' melanoma?

It's on his muzzle.

Would have to be taken internally/eaten as I can't rub any creams on his face due to the melanoma growing from the inside out.

Thanks

 

[Bananarama]

Has the vet seen this? Is it maligment do you know? And is it a grey pony by any chance? Cant reccomend any creams or anything but do wish you good luck.

 

[SpruceRI]

Yes, vets have seen it over the course of many years and state it's unlikely to be malignant as it's been growing for 9yrs now. Only really diagnosed in the last couple of years because it started off as his lips hardening and curling under.

It's within his lips, muzzle, nostrils.

They said they could do a biopsy to give a definate diagnosis but due to the position of it - around the mucus membranes, they wouldn't be that keen because it might make it grow more aggressively plus may not heal at all.

It's difficult because it's not like there's a specific lump. Just everything swelling and hardening.

The only thing they could offer is to cut his nostrils further up his face as his airways are slowly being strangled, but again, said in the long term this may not help his quality of life.

In the summer he gets no saliva to his lower lip which gets all dry and tanned in the sun. He's constantly 'licking and chewing' presumably due to the dryness.

Yes, he's grey. The Shetland in my siggie

Thanks for the good luck YoggiBear xx

 

[Tierra]

Its in a slightly annoying place im guessing. Ive read alot regarding melanomas and the only thing really suggested are immune boosting supplements.

Echinacea is the most commonly used immuno boosting supplement but the general consensus is that it shouldn't be used long term but more as a quick boost.

I agree with your vet in that taking a biopsy could be like opening a can of wurms. There is always the risk with this that a melanoma will become very aggressive and spread and tbh, if he's had it 9 years its not going to be malignant as it is (particularly as he's grey)

Personally, id leave well alone. Theres been some suggestion in recent years that trying to avoid sun exposure on them can be a good precaution... you could possible go that route if you wanted by using a muzzle net (the type used for head shakers).

How old is he? Its just sad about the positioning of it since it will ultimately restrict his airways as generally, the melanomas grow too slowly to cause problems and most horses with them, sadly, die to other things way before the melanomas are an issue.

 

[SpruceRI]

Thanks Tierra

The trouble is that this Melanoma is slowly killing him. For the last couple of years I've thought 'oh no this is it'. He's fine just walking around the paddock, but anything faster and he puffs like a steam train. If he canters about for more than a few strides I think he's going to have a heart attack because he pants heavily and wheezes.

It's interesting what you say about the sun making melanomas worse as in the early years the hardening of his lips seemed to recede a little in the winter. For many years I used to think this therefore was an allergy to something in the fields, most likely buttercups, but one year we moved to new pasture with no buttercups and the growth still grew.

I tried him on a short course of Thuja (tablets) as I've seen people recommend that on here for sarcoids, but it didn't improve it at all.

And I've also tried him wearing a full face net out in the field with nose net attached, but even if I tie his forelock to his mane he gets it off in 5 mins!

I may well try a short course of Echinacea, as it's something I take myself and I have to say it's been brilliant.

I'll continue reading everything I can lay my hands on (homeopathically) just in case I've missed something

Thanks

 

[Donkeymad]

becca114 on here has been using some homeopathic remedy with great success so far, you could PM her and ask.

 

[GreedyGuts]

Cimetidine, a drug used to treat acid indigestion, can be useful to shrink melanomas. Might be worth asking your vet about this as an option.

 

[SpruceRI]

Thanks, I'll ask her