[Crown Royal]

I have a 12/13 year old black-skinned gray mare, and I know many grays end up with melanomas. She has a small hard lump on the non-hairy skin part above her udders. I'll have to get a picture of it, but are cancer tumors in that spot common, and are they hard? Does anyone have any pictures they could show me? Is it anything to worry about?

Thanks so much, I'm looking up information but it's always nice to hear from people!

[BeastieSlave]

That's not an uncommon place for melanomas. It's probably not anything to worry about at this point. I would let the vet take a look next time he sees your mare for something else. Also, I'd check into putting her on Cimetidine. It's not expensive, won't hurt, and might help! If you do a search, you'll find more info. Good luck & don't panic

[Desert Topaz]

My Melanoma Factory pony has one on her udder. She has another bump there that isn't a melanoma (can't remember what the vet said it was) so it could be nothing. But generally I assume: bump+grey horse = melanoma

This is what I'm dealing with on my just turned six pony picture (a few months after our fall removal. We just did the spring one.)

I second the Cimetidine. I think it has slowed the growth. And definitely have your vet take a look the next time they're out. One vet blew off the melanoma on my pony's leg. The other one said, "Hmm... we should look under her tail" and we discovered the worst case of melanomas she'd ever seen. Not that I'm trying to scare you or anything, but keep your eyes open

[Vic_007]

^ Desert, not sure if you have any idea.. but my horse has lumps of various size like the ones you have in your picture on her udder. I have my vet coing thurs she is going to biopsy one... She has an aggressive tumour on her face too that we were going to have removed, but im going to wait and see what the result of the udder lumps are, If she has lymphatic cancer I am not sure there would be alot of point in treatment? I dont know...

[Desert Topaz]

Because my pony is so young and so awesome I'm taking the "Do what I can while I can" approach. Twice yearly removal of the biggest ones and cimetidine. Since they're mostly clustered under her tail my vet is also doing rectal exams when we do removals and as soon as pony has one inside that we can feel I'm giving up and will let nature take its course. I can't stop them, I can just try to hold them at bay for as long as possible.

Your mare could be fine for years with her melanomas, so many horses are. My pony has a very extreme case for her age.

[twelvegates]

Be sure to check out this post as well: (re:melanoma vaccine)

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/ar.../t-274275.html

Evidently, the cost of the vaccine is $1600 to $2400 at the moment (might be cheaper than twice yearly melanoma removals in the long run, with the young pony), but keep it in the back of your mind if you cannot participate at this time.

[Ozone]

Any grey horse with a bump concerns me.

Seen and owned too many a grey horse that ended horribly to melonoma's. Have it checked out. Extrernal it is probably benign (sp) but watch that it does not grow or have "ping offs" of cluster bumps. More so common under the tail of grey horses although could be anywhere. My guy's tail and neck were loaded. One pony had a huge one coming out of his rectum. Surgery was performed and that gave him another chance at life for a while.