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Discussion on Melanoma - four year old grey gelding
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New Member:
goldpony
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Posted on Friday, May 8, 2009 - 9:51 am:
Hello. I need advice concerning my gray gelding's melanomas. I have researched melanomas on this site. The biggest one is smaller than dime size, black, marble-like in shape, hairless and shiny located on the outside of his right ear. He also has some small lumps under the surface of his skin behind the elbow. There is also another small one on the left shoulder under the surface of his skin. My Vet checked him on Monday and said they were Black Melanomas. He felt they should be left alone at this point. I don't feel comfortable with the "wait & see" approach. I am unsure how to proceed.}
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, May 10, 2009 - 10:01 pm:
Hello Cheri,
What do you think about the options presented in the article?
DrO
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New Member:
goldpony
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Posted on Monday, May 11, 2009 - 10:07 am:
I discussed Cisplatin with the Vet. He felt it was a 50/50 situation. Since 2007, has there been no improved method of treatment or further research?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 - 10:38 am:
The recent introduction of a commercially available cisplatin bead has greatly improved the ease of treatment and cost. I don't know about the 50/50 as experiments have found it to be close to 100% effective for the grey horse type melanoma. For more on this follow the link in the article to the one on cisplatin. You will also find all the latest research (as recent as what was published in the last 24 hours) on a subject using the National Library of Medicine button at the bottom of the article.
DrO
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New Member:
goldpony
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Posted on Thursday, May 14, 2009 - 12:21 am:
Thank you!
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New Member:
goldpony
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 19, 2009 - 3:27 pm:
The hair has started to grow back on the black melanoma on my horse's ear. It also looks a little flatter. Does this mean anything? So far the Vets' are just watching it.
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Member:
goldpony
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 1, 2009 - 6:13 am:
The hair has started to grow back on the black melanoma on my horse's ear. It also looks a little flatter. Does this mean anything? So far the Vets' are just watching it.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 1, 2009 - 1:44 pm:
Hello Cheri,
Hair does not grow directly on top of a melanomas, are you sure about the diagnosis? Is the melanoma supposed to be under the skin?
DrO
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Member:
goldpony
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 1, 2009 - 2:52 pm:
Dr. Oglesby, Hello. Three Vets have looked at the lump on his ear. Originally, it was a black, shiny, hairless, round lump. I did not ask if it was under the skin, but it appears to be. Over the past month, new hair has been growing where previously it was bald. The horses have just started to shed their summer coats. Cheri
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 1, 2009 - 4:07 pm:
Cheri,
Many years ago my gray Arab was diagnosed with an early melanoma on his face. Two Veterinarians believed that was what it was.
Because it had come on suddenly and had not been there for very long it was suggested that it be removed surgically and the Veterinarian cut wide and deep to remove it.
Then once he cut through what he removed with a knife he no longer thought that it was melanoma after all, but had a biopsy done.
The results said that it was an unusual type of sarcoid caused by an insect bite, usually seen further south than where I live.
My boy is 18 now and still has no visible sarcoids.
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 1, 2009 - 4:08 pm:
Meant to say in the last sentence "no visible melanomas" (or sarcoids, for that matter).
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Member:
goldpony
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 1, 2009 - 7:33 pm:
Thanks Vicki Z. Because of where it is located, if they remove it surgically, it may permanently damage the his ear. Cheri
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 2:39 am:
Well while I cannot begin to guess at the proper diagnosis, no matter what it is, if it is getting smaller and more normal, that is a good thing.
DrO
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 1:44 pm:
Cheri,
If indeed these are melanomas it is at least somewhat comforting to realize that while having these growths more frequently, gray horses have fewer severe problems on account of them.
I hope that your gelding will do well in spite of these growths.
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Member:
goldpony
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 6, 2009 - 5:22 pm:
Vicki Z, Hi. Thanks. I hope that the hair growing back is a good thing. I will continue to watch it. The Vet will be out to do Fall shots next month. I had his teeth floated in August, and the Vet said that hair growing back is usually positive.
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