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Discussion on Really dark, "ashy" looking blood from pocket on neck?
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Member:
kjthoma
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Posted on Tuesday, Jan 10, 2012 - 3:24 pm:
So I will say up-front that I am not sure that the lesion I'm going to mention wasn't there when I got this horse in Oct, but it definitely wasn't mentioned on the PPE and I don't recall seeing it before a couple weeks ago.
This is a 6yo grade gaited mare w/ a lump right at the base of the neck where it joins the shoulder. I had noticed her being really itchy there a few days before I noticed a lump about 3" in diamter. Maybe 1/2" tall.
Lump was hard and moveable - but didn't appear to be painful. We were thinking maybe she ran into something or got a spider bite.
Had a dentist out doing her teeth, and had her look at the lump. She said that it was so mobile she didn't think it was a hematoma - and that there was a superficial lymph gland in that area. She suggested getting another vet out to do an ultrasound.
Since it had only been up (that I know of, anyway) about a week - I gave it another week, and called the vet when it hadnt gone down any.
He ultrasounded it today, and found a fluid filled pocket. He aspirated really, really dark blood that he said almost looked like it had iron filings in it. His secretary described it like 'really dark and looks like it has ash or something in it'.
So maybe it was always there and is a really old hematoma that I just never noticed...but the 'ashy' bit has me a little concerned.
They are sending the blood out to a lab, but I thot I would post here and see if anybody has seen anything like this before.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 - 6:33 pm:
Hello Kimberly,
I must say I am uncertain what they mean by a ashy or the "lead filings" appearance. Blood as it degenerates does take on a darker appearance but I would not have described this as they have. Please let us know what you find.
DrO
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Member:
kjthoma
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Posted on Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 - 9:34 pm:
Thanks, Dr O.
I was hoping that maybe the 'flaky' stuff meant that it was starting to calcify or something.
Will post back when I hear anything from the vet.
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Member:
kjthoma
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Posted on Friday, Jan 13, 2012 - 11:22 am:
I think I'm going to cry....
The lab came back and said that this was a melanoma and that it should be removed.
And she's so young now I'm worried about her being riddled with it.....
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Friday, Jan 13, 2012 - 7:58 pm:
That is a pretty shocking diagnosis for a young mare, Kimberly, and I am so sorry to hear this news.
I hope that something can be done to stop this from advancing.
Wishing you and your horse the best.
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Member:
kjthoma
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Posted on Friday, Jan 13, 2012 - 8:09 pm:
Thank you.
Surgeon took out something about the size of a plum and is sending it out to pathology. It was VERY deep in the neck muscle.
Definitely black - but not sure if it's a lymph node related to this other deal that was above it or not.
There is something that we all thot was a scar about 6" above it - he took it off and it was really a melanoma that she had rubbed at some point.
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Member:
frances
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Posted on Saturday, Jan 14, 2012 - 1:22 am:
So sorry to hear this, Kimberly. Hoping the outcome is good.
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Member:
lilo
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Posted on Saturday, Jan 14, 2012 - 11:10 am:
Hope they can remove it all, Kimberly. Good luck! Lilo
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Member:
canter
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Posted on Saturday, Jan 14, 2012 - 11:25 am:
Hoping that they can successfully treat this!
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