[deltatime]

I noticed a lump on the inside of my gelding's jaw today. It's about the size of a walnut, isn't hot, doesn't hurt, is very hard, and I can move it around a little. He doesn't have a fever or nasal discharge and behaved exactly the same as always. Is this an "oh my god call the vet NOW" issue or can I wait until I can split the call with someone else?

Of course, there wouldn't be any waiting if it changes for the worse - but money is tight and I don't want to drop $200 on an exam if he's going to be okay until February or March.

[mckenna310]

I might be wrong but I think its a lymph node. Totally normal.

[reay6790]

I would think it is his thyroid.

[quarterhorse4me]

I know the correct medical advice is call a vet. However, that is not something I would personally run to the emergency room for if I had the same issue, I would schedule the first available appointment with my doctor. Similarly, I would get a vet out to see my horse as soon as feasible but on a non emergency basis.

Good Luck, it always happens on the weekend.

[farmgirl598]

I adopted a rescue TWH mare with the same thing. When I had her vetted, they said it was an enlarged thyroid. They said some horses are just built that way, and if it got larger, or she lost weight for no reason, to call them back out. It's been almost a year, and she has been fine. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just keep an eye on it....

[Judysmom]

Where are you located? If you have not had a hard freeze yet I would suspect tick bite seroma. That is a common place for those IME.

[Ghazzu]

I would think it is his thyroid.

If it's between the branches of the jaw, that would be an odd place for the thyroid.

[Ghazzu]

If it is not painful on palpation and the horse is afebrile, I'd just keep an eye on it.

[deltatime]

No tick bite - I've had to scrape ice off my car every other day for two weeks. It's located more to the right than the left, but it's basically under his eye between the jaw branches. He's fuzzy, too, otherwise I would have checked for a puncture or something. He was checked out when I first got him, about two months ago, and came back with a clean bill of health.

I'll talk to my trainer on Sunday about when the next scheduled vet visit is and give you guys an update soon.