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  Discussion on Cimetadine and other meds
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Posted on Monday, Apr 17, 2000 - 8:25 am:

Is it ok to use Cimetadine for melanomas along with bute (for uveitis) and dexamethazone (ADT). the tumors are increasing in number and making changes again. I'm worried that it will obstuct his bowel. The Bute has been reccommended as it appeared to work better than the asprin powder and we would have him on 1/2 gram a day. He weighs roughly 700 lbs. We haven't started the dex but expect that now bugs are out we will have to. My vet didn't see the need for try prednizone for the ADT as she hadn't seen where the short term use 4-5 months a year at low dossage of dex would be a problem.

Also, with using the dex than maybe the Bute won't be needed for the eye? Could the Cimetadine help with the allergies, too, as it is an antihistamine of sorts?

Posted on Monday, Apr 17, 2000 - 10:55 am:

I can't answer your questions, but I will tell you a couple of things you may find of interest.

My horse is on Cimetidine and has been for about 6 weeks. I thought I saw a change in his one bump early on, but I might have been imagining this as it was so slight.

I have a couple of horses with skin allergies that surface during fly season. I had to give my then yearling dexamethasome the first summer because his itching was so severe. The second summer, I took him entirely off alfalfa hay (fed grass & oat hay instead), and he did not have to have the dex. I think the alfalfa was causing him to sweat more OR the nature of his sweat was very attractive to flies.

I now have put all my horses on MSM (sulphur) which is supposed to be an anti-oxident & an anti-inflammatory. It's too soon to tell whether it's effective for my horses, but I have no mane & tail rubbing, which is usually rampant this time of year.

You're welcome to e-mail me if you want to know my experiences with the Cimetidine & the MSM.

Posted on Monday, Apr 17, 2000 - 2:51 pm:

All interesting questions Kim none of which we have clear answers for. I think you could be right: that the use of the corticosteroid may obviate the need for the NSAID so it could be discontinued. The question in my mind is will the corticosteroid decrease the efficacy of the cimetidine?
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 19, 2000 - 11:52 am:

Without knowing if the cimetidine is working or not working one would never know! I had discontinued the cimetidine after 2 months as the changes seemed so small I could have been imagining it-tumors in his mouth were softer and were not continuing to grow in number or size. Now this would just add in another not knowing if the corticosteroid is having an effect. In your opinion, Dr. O, is the cimetidine only useful if the tumors are cancerous. And if the tumors are benign couldn't they still cause death if they grow internally causing lack of blood to critical areas (like parts of the intestine as he has multiple tumors on his anus and dock which are now showing changes.) I wish there was a way to know the answers as to how involved the tumors are. In my mind using the cimetidine is my only option. Either that or excepting the fact what will happen will happen and we could enjoy many more happy years-he is only 15.

Kim

Posted on Thursday, Apr 20, 2000 - 7:06 am:

I am not sure wht you mean by cancerous, all melnomas are cancerous and I have yet to see a malignant one. Yes, though benign the space occuping nature of a tumor of any kind can cause life threatening consequences.

Posted on Saturday, Apr 22, 2000 - 7:19 am:

Thankyou Dr. O! When I first found out that the tumors were melanoma, I assumed they were cancerous but then I must have miss understood the vet (didn't ask more questions) as I thought they could be benign but might turn cancerous. No biopse has been done but they ooze black and some have scabs. I assume since they ooze black that means they are melanoma and no biopse is needed for diagnosis.

Kim
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