Unidentified lump on horse's back - what is it!??

[Hels_Bells]

My horse has got a small persistent lump on his back under where his saddle goes.

He came to me 3 years ago with back problems due to an ill fitting saddle so I am fanatical about getting his back checked by chiro, physio, regular saddler visits etc to make sure he is always comfy. Hence he has had saddler/chiro visits in the last 6-8 weeks and all fine.

There is no white hair on the lump and it is just to the left of his spine in about the middle if you drew a line from pommel to cantle on his back and is exactly like an average fly bite (about the size of a 10-50p size).

It appeared a week or so before our last chiro visit and I checked to see it didn't cause him any pain etc and he didn't flinch/notice I was doing anything, so I thought perhaps it WAS a fly bite and decided just to keep an eye on it. Chiro then visted and checked it too and no reaction. She said it was probably just a horsey pimple and would go in a week or two. Well, it's been over a week or two and it's still there.

It hasn't grown or changed in any way and he doesn't notice it if I poke and prod it. There is definitely no white hair coming from it. I haven't ridden him for a couple of weeks due to snow but he was going fine before that. Any ideas what it could be or what I could/should do about it!???

 

[Bertthefrog]

Is it hard? Does it feel like it's within the layer of skin, or underneath it?

Some of ours used to get a kind of reaction to sweat. Seemed a bit like a blocked pore, but lasted long term and I'm sure the vet said they became fibrous.

They didn't seem to bother the horses. W jast made sure they worked in a thick polypad to avoid them becoming sore and were very careful to keep the area clean, and checked daily to ensure it wasn't causing any pain.

Is he/she clipped? Perhaps it could be a stray clipped hair that has caused it?

 

[Steeleydan]

Is it hard? Some horses get things called collegen lumps on their backs, nothing to do with the saddle the vet can remove them. Or is it soft and squishy? it could be an ingrowing hair from clipping therefore it may eventually come to a head and burst.

 

[Bertthefrog]

Is it hard? Some horses get things called collegen lumps on their backs, nothing to do with the saddle the vet can remove them. Or is it soft and squishy? it could be an ingrowing hair from clipping therefore it may eventually come to a head and burst.

Collagen lumps - yep, that's what I was thinking of. Do you know how they come about?

 

[Steeleydan]

I dont actually know what causes them ive just seen horses with them-off to google!!

 

[Hels_Bells]

Thanks both. Yes it's a hard lump exactly like a midge bite so not like he's got a pebble under his skin but not squishy either just very firm. Maybe it could be an ingrowing but it's within his saddle pad area which I don't clip as he has a hunter clip.

Would it be beneficial to get a collagen lump removed and would it have to be done under anaesthetic?

 

[Steeleydan]

Ive been on google go to this link its written by a vet and yes under local anethsetic(sp!) they can be removed.
www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/.../eqbumps2192

 

[Bertthefrog]

Couldn't make that link work.

I think it's the formation of scar tissue in response to irritation such as a fly bite of blocked pore.

I suppose if it isn't causing the horse any discomfort I would leave it. Getting it removed will not be cheap. It may reduce of its own accord in time.

Anyone else had any experience of these?

Have a chat with your vet?

Out of interest, is he/she a TB? Just wondered if finer skinned horses were more susceptable (sp?)?

 

[Sneedy]

My horse had a lumpy thing on his back earlier in the year, it was quite hard and seemed to get a bit bigger, and hung around for quite some time. Didn't really know what to do, so asked my Osteo when he came out and he said to put some Vaseline on it, so followed instructions, turned out with rug, checked him when he came in and it was softer, so gave it a bit of a squeeze and.........yuk! Custardy, pus like goo......cue lots of gagging from me , since the big squeeze it hasn't reappeared!!
So, after all my ramblings, it may be worth putting a bit of Vaseline on it in the morning and check later???
PS. Osteo thought it was an ingrowing hair?

 

[Hels_Bells]

Thanks v much BTFF, he's a WB, so not massively thin skinned (I don't think) though he is quite fine for a WB.

I thought it would be a "vet just in case" call, but also interested in any other opinions too. I would avoid surgery unless absolutely necessary, so will leave it unless vet says it's imperative.

 

[Bertthefrog]

That's a good tip - not heard that one before!

 

[Hels_Bells]

Ooooh that's a great tip Sneedy, I will certainly give that a try! I would be delighted if that's what it turned out to be as that would be a nice simple solution!!! Will apply some vaseline first thing!!!

 

[mil1212]

My big hunter developed 2 lumps like these - granulomas, under his saddle area, he has had them 11 years with no issue.
My 4 year old came with one either side of his spine, and in about July time all the hair came off one of them, was like it for a couple of months where I used a sheepskin pad so not to irritate it more, but the lump had a scab ontop, so finally called vet, who gave me some steroid cream, 2 months later nothing had changed and vet took another look and the scab, complete with granuloma, came off completely!

Generally shouldn't be anything to worry about though. I would certainly never bother having them removed surgically.

 

[Hels_Bells]

Great - thanks v much Mil! Will bear this in mind too!

 

[ImogenBurrows]

Collagenolytic eosinophilic granulomas is what most are referring to on the thread.

I generally see these as smaller in size - about the size of a 5p (or petit pois!).
They are the result of a minerisation of collagen breakdown in the skin as a consequence of an mild allergic reaction to the fly bite (generally midges).

These are non painful and do not change over time. I have only removed some from one horse ( a very thin skinned TB who became ultra sensitive under saddle!). I remoevd 17 of the blighters at once and 14days later she was fine.

Good fly repellent prevents them getting bitten - if you can get me some of that I'd love it!!! Fly rugs then probably best.

TBH don't rule out that it could also be something else....mast cell tumours/histiocytoma etc etc.

Granulomas are most common but this is quite big IMO for one of them. If you want to know then TBH the only thing to do is get the vet to do either a fine needle aspirate (reverse injection where you suck out some cells) biopsy or an excisional biopsy and have it removed.

On the other hand, if it ain't broke, don't fix it....

HTH
Imogen

 

[Hels_Bells]

Thanks so much Imogen for the info, all very helpful!

I actually tried Sneedy's vaseline tip but it hasn't "come to a head" yet, after 3 applications of vaseline, it does seem to have changed shape though but hasn't softened.

It's sort of changed to a "splat" shape and spread a little rather than gone soft or squishy.

I have given it plenty of poking and prodding and horse just doesn't react. I will keep a very close eye on it and I think I will probably get the vet out if no improvement in a few days or indeed any big changes.

 

[horsevideo]

Any updates on this?

My horse had a largish soft lump, like an oedema, which shrank over a few days into a hard lump under the skin the size of a large pea. It's on his side just at the back edge of the girth, so lunged him for several days (naked) and rode him today with a pad under the girth to stop it rubbing.

Do you think it's a granuloma? Accosted an aged passing horseman and he seemed to think so.

Doesn't bother him at all - will get the vet to have a look next time they visit, but anyone know if it's likely to go away in a few days or . . ?

Thank you

HV

 

[Hels_Bells]

Oh yes, just saw this post by coincidence!. So the lump grew quite a bit and was kind of bobbly, like almost several lumps joined together. Unfortunately the vaseline trick didn't work so I took him to the vet who was pretty sure it was a collagen lump (like most on here said) and said they are fairly commont but as this one was quite big it was worth applying fuciderm steriod cream for a month to try to shrink it. If not, then we would need to take a small sample from it to send away from analysis. So far we are still applying cream and it has shrunk a fair bit which is great. However, a second smaller lump has appeared in exactly the same spot on the other side of his back. But it is still only pea sized and vet has suggested to leave it be for now but keep an eye on it.

As for your lump HV it sounds quite different to mine which didn't go soft or shrink at any point. Maybe they form in different ways on different horses though! Definitely worth getting the vet to check it out i would say.

 

[EAST KENT]

There now, and I was thinking it might be something exciting like warble fly larva.

 

[Hels_Bells]

Hahaha! Well if it is - fuciderm shrinks them!!

 

[Ninaliz]

Horsevideo - my gelding has exactly the same on his side where the girth sits. Its a hardish lump that fits into my palm. Doesnt bother him but doesnt seem to be getting smaller. Vet unsure of what it is and advised an anti-inflammitry gel. No luck over last two weeks. Does this sound familiar??