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  Discussion on Melanomas
Author Message
New Member:
Nicude

Posted on Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 - 2:08 pm:

I was curious about Melanomas in the throat latch.
I had a vet point out my horse has bumps on both sides of her
throat latch. They told me the were Melanomas, they did not do a biopsy or needle aspiration. I have not herd or seen anything that
says this is a common place for Melanomas. Could this be something else? What should I do next? My mare is a 9 yr. Andalusian mare, who does have a couple of very small melanomas
around her anus. Thank you
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jun 16, 2006 - 11:15 am:

There are several possibilities here but they are correct Nicole, subcutaneous melanomas in the throatlatch and Viborg's triangle area are seen occasionally and unusual lumps here on greys is always highly suspect. I believe the lymph nodes are filtering them out and they begin to grow here. They can become very large and goiter-like. Take heart though I have never seen them keep a horse from being comfortable or functional. If I believed them to be melanomas I would consider the course of cimetidine as outlined in the article. For images and descriptions of other swellings found in these areas see, Diseases of Horses » Skin Diseases » Swellings / Localized Infection / Abscesses » Diagnosing and Assessing Swellings in Horses.

Perchance are the swellings mobile, smooth, and roughly the shape and size of a half a golf ball and in the position of the thyroid glands indicated in the article I reference?
DrO
Member:
Mariss

Posted on Friday, Jun 16, 2006 - 3:52 pm:

I take care of an old grey mare about 24 years old, retired at my place. She has more melanoma than you can count. She was a hunter show horse till about 5 years ago and was retired due to lameness. She has melanoma in the grove under her chin, at the base of each ear, in her eye, on her neck midway left of the mane, plus multiple ones in the anus and genital area, and many down the underside of the tail. The ones under her chin don't seem to bother her. They are growing outward and don't interfere with eating. She can still see out of the eye with the tumor. The ones at the back end erupted simultaneously and it was a mess for about a month. It seemed to have quieted down for now. She is retired, as I said, and behaves like a typical mare. She is out all day and in a stall with an extension outside. She seems happy with her buddies and can't stand not being able to see them. I keep her very clean to discourage further complications. Her owner is happy as long as she is happy. She was and is on cimetidine and it seemed to be working till last year when they started to multiply and grow more quickly. She has had a long full life even with all her melanoma.
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