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Discussion on Do pink skinned areas have a greater chance of melanoma?
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Member:
Imogen
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 - 2:34 am:
Hi Dr O
My 14 month old filly is going grey which I knew she would when I bred her. Tradition has it here that it is the pink-skin areas of greys which are more susceptible to melanoma.
Is this true? Bearing in mind that Ireland has a massive problem with skin cancer in humans (highest rate in northern hemispheres...)
This filly has one very small pink skin snip area on her nose and a tiny patch of about half a centimetre square on her vulva. If it is true I would be tempted to see what would happen if the pink patch on her vulva were to be removed and stitched up in the hope that the remainder would be black skin.
But I note your comments in these threads "we all have to go from something" and melanoma threat would not prevent you from purchasing a grey other things being equal since they are mainly benign in horses, and so horses can live with them for long periods.
Imogen
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 22, 2006 - 8:24 am:
Not in my experience Imogen: though I see melanomas almost on a weekly basis I have never seen one on unpigmented skin in a grey horse. The confusion is because this is probably true in humans but there is no similarities in the two diseases. In humans melanomas are caused by sunlight damage to the cells while in grey horses this appears to be a genetic defect with variable expression.
DrO
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Member:
Imogen
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Posted on Friday, Jun 23, 2006 - 2:42 am:
Thanks for excellent advice as always! Oh dear, another old wives tale hits the dirt...
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