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Discussion on Mare born with series of bumps on neck
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Member:
chloemom
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 24, 2017 - 10:18 pm:
Hi, a friend just purchased a young OTTB mare with an interesting feature - a series of bumps along one side of her neck. These bumps seem to have been present since, or soon after, birth, as they are noted in the mare's Jockey Club registration, as well as coggins.
The bumps are not itchy, flaking, nor oozing, and are soft to the touch, dark in colour. The coat isn't lighter, and the pattern of the bumps doesn't seem to have changed (ie. no increase nor decrease in the amount of bumps).
Could this be a type of sarcoid? Or the result of an injury as a foal? Or something completely different - ie, potentially stupid question, but can horses be born with birthmarks??
I've never seen anything quite like it, nor heard of anything like it. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Sep 25, 2017 - 8:39 am:
Hello RosB,
The condition you describe and your images support is a form of "nevus" or congenital tumor. There are several types but the color and the distribution along a dermatome suggest to me a melantocytic nevus. According to the literature there are several types but there is little on behavior and prognosis. I would recommend a biopsy to further investigate the diagnosis and prognosis of this tumor. Here is a report that includes 20 such tumors but first you need a firm diagnosis.
DrO
J Vet Intern Med. 1995 Sep-Oct;9(5):291-7.
Equine melanocytic tumors: a retrospective study of 53 horses (1988 to 1991).
Valentine BA1.
Author information
Abstract
A study of 57 cutaneous melanocytic tumors from 53 horses revealed 4 distinct clinical synDrOmes: melanocytic nevus, dermal melanoma, dermal melanomatosis, and anaplastic malignant melanoma. Melanocytic nevus and anaplastic melanoma each had histopathologic features that distinguished them from dermal melanoma and dermal melanomatosis. Dermal melanoma and dermal melanomatosis were histologically similar but could be differentiated by their clinical features. Melanocytic nevi were diagnosed in 29 horses with an average age of 5 years; they were solitary, superficial masses that occurred in both grey and nongrey horses, and in which surgical excision was generally curative. Dermal melanomas were diagnosed in 20 horses with an average age of 13 years; all horses of known coat color were grey. Eight horses with an average age of 7 years had 1 or 2 discrete dermal melanomas. Follow-up information was available for 6 horses; metastases occurred in 2 horses, and surgical excision was apparently curative in 4 horses. Dermal melanomatosis was diagnosed in 12 grey horses with an average age of 17 years; all 6 of these horses evaluated had internal metastases. In 2 aged nongrey horses with anaplastic malignant melanoma, the tumors metastasized within 1 year of diagnosis. Two tumors with features of both melanocytic nevus and dermal melanoma remained unclassified.
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Member:
chloemom
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Posted on Monday, Sep 25, 2017 - 7:11 pm:
Thank you Dr. O! Very helpful as always. My friend will get a biopsy done in October.
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