?Lymphoma in horses - update with good news #23 Lawsonia

[demidq]

I posted 2 weeks ago about my mare with mild colic-y symptoms and a fever, vet found small intestine thickening on ultrasound, blood tests suggested an infection . She improved and seemed normal within a few days, but got worse again on Friday.

She was tubed, IV Fluids, steroids, Dr Green and she is holding her own (just) but the prognosis is poor. Vet thinks the most likely diagnosis is lymphoma in the intestinal wall causing an intermittent blockage. There is no obvious tumour in any of her internal organs that we could see. The other possibilities are inflammatory bowel disease (in which case she would feel much better very quickly) or a granulomatous (fibrous) infiltration of the bowel wall which might also respond to steroids

Long week-end here, no possibility of investigations until our appointment at the vet school on Tuesday- we will repeat blood work, ultrasound and do a paracentesis ( belly tap) to see what cells are in the belly fluid. May give us a diagnosis, may not.

I am wondering if anyone here has treated a lymphoma in horses with chemotherapy, and if so how did the horse manage side effects, how long a remission of the cancer did you get? I am not into heroics for animals, quality of life is far more important than just survival and I am of two minds as it is in putting her through a very long trailer ride to the vet college and a bunch of uncomfortable procedures. Surgery is not indicated here, and I probably wouldn’t do that anyway.

Input from others appreciated!

[HappyTalk]

An acquaintance’s horse was diagnosed down at Ohio State and she decided to euthanize as he was older. He also had Cushings which influenced her decision.

[hoopoe]

Lymphoma is never a good diagnosis in any species and very difficult to manage, let alone cure.

I am sorry you are facing this prospect. you are doing the best you can by your friend by getting the best information, even if that means a long trailer ride. .

[AKB]

My daughter treated her horse with several doses of chemo at ? Monthly intervals. He had no side effects from the chemo, did well and was completely healthy for s couple of years. A year ago, he had a severe colic which turned out to be a recurrence, and she put him down.

A woman who posts on COTH wrote up her horse, Calvin, and his saga. He did well and continued his jumper career for a couple of years. Search the forums and see if you can find her thread.

chemo can get extremely expensive, but also can be done for a moderate price.

[AKB]

I just remembered that IvyHall is the name of the poster who wrote about her horse’s lymphoma treatment. I don’t think she posts regularly, but you should be able to PM her and find her thread.

[demidq]

Thank you, AKB. Where was the lymphoma in your daughter’s horse?

[SquishTheBunny]

I think horses can respond well to chemotherapy. We have a horse at our farm that received chemo (guelph) and has had no side effects at all. Hopefully it’s not lymphoma but if it is, there may be more options available to you for treatment regimes.

[csaper58]

Has your vet considered the possibility of a Lipoma?

They are fatty tumors that dangle from a stalk, and occasionally strangle, or partially strangle the intestines.

Your mare’s symptoms could be a partial strangulation. Those can be completely resolved with surgery, if she is a candidate.

http://www.addl.purdue.edu/newslette…/pen_lip.shtml

First paragraph, beginning with…“In contrast, in horses with non-strangulating obstructions…mesentery.”

Jingling you get answers soon.

[csaper58]

@AKB

I just remembered that IvyHall is the name of the poster who wrote about her horse’s lymphoma treatment. I don’t think she posts regularly, but you should be able to PM her and find her thread.

@demidq This is the @IvyHall thread.

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/fo…calvin-s-story

[demidq]

Thank you, Csaper. I found the thread, it seems that Calvin’s lymphoma was in the lymph nodes.
My mare’s symptoms are in the gut. The blood work and the low grade fever suggest that there is a systemic (ie body wide) problem causing inflammation. If it was a mechanical obstruction (or partial obstruction) such as a lipoma or an enterolith (unlikely in our area) she wouldn’t be likely to mount an immune response causing a fever. Also, if there is a blockage like that there is usually reflux (back up) into the stomach which hasn’t happened.
She is stable right now, but not spectacularly improved on the high dose steroids we started Friday. I have had to give more banamine, but that makes her feel happy and comfortable. I am so glad we have grass for her to graze, best medicine- nice juicy soft forage!
So- my motto is -‘hope for the best, prepare for the worst’.

[csaper58]

@demidq

Thank you, Csaper. I found the thread, it seems that Calvin’s lymphoma was in the lymph nodes.
My mare’s symptoms are in the gut. The blood work and the low grade fever suggest that there is a systemic (ie body wide) problem causing inflammation. If it was a mechanical obstruction (or partial obstruction) such as a lipoma or an enterolith (unlikely in our area) she wouldn’t be likely to mount an immune response causing a fever. Also, if there is a blockage like that there is usually reflux (back up) into the stomach which hasn’t happened.
She is stable right now, but not spectacularly improved on the high dose steroids we started Friday. I have had to give more banamine, but that makes her feel happy and comfortable. I am so glad we have grass for her to graze, best medicine- nice juicy soft forage!
So- my motto is -‘hope for the best, prepare for the worst’.

Pain itself can cause fever, so can any irritation of the tissues in the gut,

Partial or intermittent blockage (what your vet suspects) would likely lead to delayed gastric emptying, and off/on mild colic symptoms.

Steroids would have little effect on a partial, or intermittent obstruction.

Why does your vet suspect Lymphoma/cancer? Is there any specific reason?

Keep an eye on her feet and digital pulses. Steroids, irritated gut, spring grass all can trigger Laminitis.

Jingling for the best for your mare!

[bear_necessities]

@AKB

I just remembered that IvyHall is the name of the poster who wrote about her horse’s lymphoma treatment. I don’t think she posts regularly, but you should be able to PM her and find her thread.

Unfortunately, IvyHall is no longer with us, she’s riding in the greenest fields with her wonderful Calvin - I’m sure.

[csaper58]

@bear necessities

Unfortunately, IvyHall is no longer with us, she’s riding in the greenest fields with her wonderful Calvin - I’m sure.

That is quite an unexpected update.

My deepest condolences to her family and friends.

May she Ride In Peace with her dear Calvin.

[AKB]

Bear Necessities, what happened to IvyHall? She was young and had a young daughter?

OP, I am not sure where my daughter’s horse had his lymphoma. He had weight loss, elevated liver enzymes, and cancerous cells on the pathologist’s interpretation of the blood smear.

[AKB]

Bear, I just found the thread about IvyHall. I am sad. She seemed like a really nice person.

[Sandy_M]

I lost a horse to lymphoma, but he was already retired and nearly 24, so how I handled it wouldn’t necessarily apply to a younger horse. He was mysteriously losing weight and I took him to a good clinic. Although they couldn’t give a hard and fast diagnosis, ultrasound and blood work seemed to indicate lymphoma. He wasn’t in pain, and chemo just didn’t seem warranted at his age. About six to eight months later, he started running fevers, had difficulty eating, and suffered successive mild colics. We got him through one fever/colic, but veterinary opinion was that that pattern of illness was going to continue. I went to visit him at his retirement home and offered him his favorite bran mash with shredded carrots, etc. He took a few polite bites, then walked away from me and stood in his run-in shed with his head to the wall. This was an extremely friendly, attention loving horse. He was a month short of his 24th birthday. I felt euthanizing him was the most humane decision. I still miss him.

Viking Grog (“Erik” - 1986-2010)

[demidq]

Spent the day at the university equine vet clinic. scope ( very mild ulcers), high definition ultrasound- (found the area of thickened small intestine), another rectal, more blood, urine and stool samples. Nothing in particular found except that small segment of thickened wall. Mind you, it’s like looking for a needle in a hay stack- there may be more areas that are thickened, there may not be.
So- we wait for the lab results, may know more when they come in, or we may not.
Mare was great for everything, including the scope under very mild sedation with a twitch. She only took issue with the stocks, all the scary equipment was no big deal!

[bear_necessities]

@AKB

Bear, I just found the thread about IvyHall. I am sad. She seemed like a really nice person.

Truly heartbreaking.

[demidq]

We have another test back, with a positive antibody titre to Lawsonia. This a bacteria that grows inside the cell, (intracellular), and is usually an infection of foals and young horses. Rare in older horses. The titre is 1/250, which I think is fairly high, but significance of antibody varies with the infective agent.
Waiting for a call from the Vet school to have them interpret the significance. It would be so nice if it turns out this is totally treatable!

[demidq]

Does anyone know what happened to IvyHall? couldn’t find anything when I searched… so sad with a young family.