Cancer/Neoplasia

[Texarkana]

I have a horse doing poorly and my vet and I just can’t get to the bottom of it.

We still have a few more things to try, but this is the second time my vet has said that we could be dealing with an internal neoplasia/cancer. This is based on the fact her blood work has been normal on the battery of tests we have run and she hasn’t responded positively to anything yet.

I’ve had experience with a lot of external skin cancers in horses (squamous cell, melanomas, etc.). A few intestinal masses that were found post-mortem on horses that were doing far worse than my own. But otherwise that’s it.

If you have dealt with this type of diagnosis, what were your experiences?

Edited for clarity, typing while multitasking!

[Garythesquirrel]

Three years ago my mare had to be euthanized after I took her in to the vet clinic one night thinking it was colic. An ultrasound showed a mass and a necropsy revealed a 30 cm tumor sitting on her right adrenal gland and kidney. A biopsy of the tumor was sent out and came back positive for renal cell carcinoma.

Her symptoms up until that night had been very vague. The vet had been out just a few weeks prior and ran blood work and did a full check up which all came back in the normal range, She seemed to be feeling fine and eating well but was sweating more than was normal (that was the main reason I had the vet out). Looking back she had lost a tiny bit of weight in the couple of months prior but nothing alarming. She had had a few episodes of nose bleeds in the year prior and had been scoped by two different vets but nothing was found. I don’t know if the nose bleeds were related to the cancer or not.

So, other than unusual sweating, a small amount of weight loss (which she needed) and possibly nose bleeds there were no other symptoms.

I hope you are able to figure out what’s going on your mare and that you aren’t dealing with cancer.

[Texarkana]

@Garythesquirrel I’m so sorry to hear that.

Both times the vet mentioned cancer I initially though she was just covering all her bases. But the more I sit with the idea the more concerned I become.

[Fiesta01]

@Texarkana Keeping you and your girl in my thoughts and prayers.

@Ericthegreat So sorry for your loss. Heartbreaking. [[[HUGS]]]

[Warmblood1]

Sorry to hear this.

Is the CBC totally normal as well?

[3PonyFarm]

I hope you can get some answers and some sort of treatment going. Many, many jingles.

[Texarkana]

Thanks everyone. It’s not a confirmed diagnosis by any means. We also aren’t close to the end of our options to try yet.

But twice now, the vet has mentioned as mostly a “heads up” that her nondescript symptoms are often seen with cancer. I’m just curious if others who have dealt with that type of cancer have the same story.

@Warmblood1 yes, CBC is normal.

[Warmblood1]

I honestly haven’t dealt with a cancer before that didn’t shown up in some way on diagnostics, including some flags on bloodwork. I do hope you find out what is going on and wish your horse a speedy recovery. Fingers crossed.

[Texarkana]

@Warmblood1

I honestly haven’t dealt with a cancer before that didn’t shown up in some way on diagnostics, including some flags on bloodwork. I do hope you find out what is going on and wish your horse a speedy recovery. Fingers crossed.

Besides leukemia, what cancer would show up on a CBC?

And thank you!

[Warmblood1]

Some cancers can show a lower WBC, an increase in lymphocytes or monocytes, some bone cancers can affect anemia and low platelet count. I’ve seen some secondary issues with infection from weakened immune systems. If not eating/drinking well, electrolytes may be affected. If there is a cancer involving an organ, often you’ll see abnormalities with an internal chemistry panel measuring the organ’s enzymes, etc.