would you buy a grey horse with melanomas?

[AnnieHolly]

Finally found a horse I actually want to buy, but she has 2 small melanomas on her tail. One vet said walk away, another said it wasnt a problem. Confused??
Its a dapple grey 12yr IDx. Had the Melanomas at least 4 years but not changed or grown in that time.
What would you do? Buy or walk away?
All opinions gratefully recieved

 

[Dogstar]

If it is the perfect horse in every other way, I would buy it IF it was very cheap because of the melanomas. If you are unlucky they can grow and cause problems but not usually until the horse is getting on in years. I had my old horse pts with suspected melanomas at 20. My current hunter has large melanomas but they are not affecting her and she is rising 20.

 

[AnnieHolly]

thanks for that dogstar.
How do you go on about insurance, as I cant get cover for anything melanoma, sarcoid or sarcoma related? I am not too worried about the ones she has now, as they are very small, but more concerned about what she may develop in the future.
Is the treatment expensive? and when you say you would buy if it was very cheap, how cheap do you mean? She was for sale at £4500 until the melanoma issue?

 

[Baggybreeches]

If she was perfect for what you need then yes, my old jumping pony had them under her tail when we bought at 19, she still had them when she was PTS at 32, they hadn't changed at all and I don't think had anything to do with her fairly sudden demise into old age (6 weeks before she was SJ and hunting).
All I would say is avoid any kind of truama to the area, we didn't pull her tail or put tail bandages on her (a tail guard was fine)

 

[Dogstar]

I decided that insurance was a waste of money so I now have a 'vets fees account' which I pay into- the same amount as I would have paid monthly for insurance previously. I now have a nice pot. However my vets allow payment by instalment anyway so really insurance is pointless. There is no need to cover for melanomas anyway as there is no treatment -other than one expensive drug which my vet tells me doesnt work! I have never treated my grey's melanomas. She has one under her neck and one under her tail which are both massive but currently asymptomatic. £4500 sounds very expensive to me unless it is a very talented animal? I would make an insulting offer and see what happens!!

 

[AnnieHolly]

thank you FA2 and Dogstar for your positive replies. I like the idea of a 'vets fees account' !!
I will consider making a silly offer and see what happens??
Thanks for your help

 

[Tiffany]

If you like everything else about her, then yes!

A know a 17yo grey mare who's had two melanomas since she was was 5 and they haven't changed in size or shape at all

 

[Dogstar]

Good luck, let us know how it goes. Perhaps get a third vet's opinion, seeing as the two so far have disagreed?!

 

[AnnieHolly]

[ QUOTE ]
Good luck, let us know how it goes. Perhaps get a third vet's opinion, seeing as the two so far have disagreed?!

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a good idea, I think I will do that. Cant quite believe vets can vary so much in their opinions??!!

thanks everyone

 

[dorani]

No.

 

[Arabelle]

I bought my little mare with a melanoma on her tail - it hasn't changed in the time I have had her (8 years) and she has been a fantastic little pony for me. My vet's view is that all greys get melanomas and that old age gets them before the melanoma.
A

 

[tangoharvey]

I would buy her, but for no more than 2k, so that if she did get problems, I wouldnt mind forking out to sort it myself without vet cover...

 

[Daisychain]

All grey horses get melonomas eventually, i would agree a fairer price and buy.

 

[Kenzo]

[ QUOTE ]
No.

[/ QUOTE ]

ditto

Personally no, been there and bought the t-shirt and wouldnt go there again, plenty of horses out there for that sort of money without melanomas.

But if you have your heart set on her, not matter what any vet says you'll probably still want her anyway.

 

[AmyMay]

No - probably not (I am also the owner of a grey horse).

 

[Ruth_Cymru]

I was faced with this exact problem last year. A melanoma was discovered at the vetting, and after lots of thought I decided not to go ahead with the purchase. My main reasons being he was a 5 year old and already had a melanoma, and secondly I'm a worrier, so would be waiting for it to do something- which could be a year or never. I also want a forever horse, so decided the risk would be to big for me personally- oh and the insurance wouldn't cover for any skin conditions, and may not have covered colic as melanomas can grow internally.
This is only my personal view/experience, good luck whatever you decide.

 

[CBFan]

No, I wouldn't buy her. I'm sorry but melanomas can cause all sorts of problems. My friends horse had them around his head and he was unridable as a result - his started as a tiny bump and grew quite dramatically over the years untill he had two 'bags of oranges' either side of his head and then others apeared all over his body...

 

[debsflo]

we bought our 13 yr old grey mare a year ago .passed 5 stage vetting .2 small melanomas on tail .didnt hesitate to buy her for near asking price and had a queue of people behind me.vet wasnt overly concerned and they are unchanged.very common with greys.

 

[Gemsie]

Hi There, having been the owner of a grey mare who I had to have pts 3 years ago due to melanomas I can honestly say I would walk away.

I went through a great deal of stress, expense and heart ache, and still am heartbroken in a lot of ways over the outcome for my lovely girl.

I know many horses who have melanomas lead a full healthy life, but based on my experience I would steer well clear.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Gem

 

[EllieK]

If she is everything you want then yes buy her but not for that amount of money unless she is very special! My first horse had a golf ball sized melanoma on his head just above and behind his eye. I had 6 wonderful years with him until the melanoma became aggressive and I had him pts because of it. Other then that no problems and he was 24. Its always a risk but not worth walking away if she is perfect

 

[jenh166]

I personally probably wouldn't buy a horse with melanomas, but having said that I'm a sucker for greys (and have owned 2), and know that most of them will end up with them in old age. But, somehow its different if they develop them in your care to taking on a horse that has been diagnosed.
They may well be nevi (singular= nevus) which shouldn't cause a problem at all.
Vets opinions would differ mainly due to their past cases involving melanomas, probably with different outcome.
A 'vet bank account' is what I did with my 18yo horse - a good idea, and means you're not throwing money away to the insurers! You may be able to insure her for a nominal fee just to cover the basic stuff e.g. if she kicked someones car for instance.
If you like her enough, go for it!

 

[AnnieHolly]

Thanks for all your help and advice. After careful consideration (and a sleepless night!) I have decided not to buy her. The owner was prepared to drop the price but I just cant buy the horse knowing she has a problem. My head has ruled my heart and I am sure there will be another perfect horse out there for me that will become my friend for life!

 

[Dogstar]

It definitely sounds as though you have made the right decision, for you. There are plenty of 100% healthy horses out there, so it is a sensible decision to buy something without any problems to start with. It is a worry when they have issues such as melanomas. Good luck in finding the right horse: My two best horses have been grey mares btw so perhaps you can find a nice melanoma-free one

 

[Kenzo]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for all your help and advice. After careful consideration (and a sleepless night!) I have decided not to buy her. The owner was prepared to drop the price but I just cant buy the horse knowing she has a problem. My head has ruled my heart and I am sure there will be another perfect horse out there for me that will become my friend for life!

[/ QUOTE ]

At least you gave it a lot of thought, you have done the right thing.

Good luck in finding the right horse.

 

[scrumpygus]

No way - a grey 12 year old mare was recently put down at my yard due to melanomas - she couldnt go to the toilet anymore as they had grown so much poor sod it was awful for her.

 

[Sare24]

My grey pony has had melanomas under his tail and in his sheath most of his life, he is now 34 yrs, his grey mother had them also, she died aged 31 yrs ( not due to melanomas). It really is a gamble though as i knew of another grey who wasn't so lucky and had to be pts because of them at aged 20 or so. You will have made the right decision for you. Good luck in your search for your perfect partner.

 

[Macamee]

No not a chance in hell,

 

[Happy Horse]

You made the right decision, I have lost a horse to the effect of Melanomas. The external ones are not usually a problem but you have no way of knowing what is going on inside.