Over the summer I felt 2 pea sized lumps under his skin in the groove between his sheath and thigh - assumed it was from ticks and left it alone. Recently discovered they are now the size of marbles and maybe 5 total. Growing and multiplying like that in less than six months has me worried. I have an appointment to have them removed and tested next week. Naturally I’m anxious for an answer - I can’t find anything online of similar appearance/location to give me a hint of what I’m likely dealing with. I realize that another person’s experience is not going to be a diagnosis for my situation - but would love to hear anyway. Any thoughts on what I’ll likely dealing with? The horse is 11yo gelding, QH, buckskin color. Photo attached:
Melanomas ?
5 Likes
Could your horse be going grey ?
2 Likes
Interesting comment and question
First call was to the local vet ( I live in a rural area - not a big sport horse community so limited vets and farriers) who felt them and casually said probably melanomas, but don’t worry they aren’t malignant in horses. He said to keep an eye on them and if they get any bigger to let him know and he’ll lay him down in the field to remove them like a castration.
I googled and got worried when I read that in a non-gray horse melanomas are very serious. Also, talking with friends, the overwhelming opinion was that they should be removed now “ the lumps grew and multiplied and marble size is not small - exactly how big does he want them to get?”
So I called a larger clinic in a densely populated horse area - who stated that melanomas in dark horses are 100% fatal - he recommended that we remove them immediately. He said he would be able to tell immediately if it was melanoma but would send off for testing either way. So I’m scheduled for next week.
As for gray: I have noticed gray hairs coming in all over his body and more so in some patchy areas. I’m not sure if it’s common or possible for a buckskin to go gray - or if this has any relevance but it is an interesting coincidence. It gives me hope that if it is melanoma that it might be benign.
6 Likes
Can you post full body pictures? Either way kudos to you for bring so diligent about your horse’s care. And please keep updating this thread. I’m sending you every good positive thought.
2 Likes
Thank you. I’ve attached a photo from the day I purchased him 3 years ago showing his buckskins color (headshot in bridle). He even had a dorsal stripe then, it’s non-existent now. This is the first year that he didn’t dapple. I attached a recent photo of him with a winter coat (under saddle) and a 3rd immediately after getting clipped (grazing) None of these photos really show the gray that I’ve noticed. He’s not sexy but he’s got the best disposition - the perfect horse for an AA- he’s worth a million bucks to me. I appreciate your positive thoughts - I’m very worried.
10 Likes
Lots of jingles for your beautiful boy. I hope the lumps turn out to be benign. 
Yeah, any color horse can go grey. How old is he, and does he have a grey parent? If his sire and dam are not grey, he cannot be. If he has a grey parent, his chance of going grey is either 50% or 100%. But greying usually starts pretty young. It also starts on the head.
It’s great you’re getting this removed and sent to pathology. I would be worried, too. Fingers crossed it’s no big deal!
2 Likes
Could that be related to his gelding scar? It doesn’t quite look like the right location though.
Good for you for going an extra step with another clinic, another opinion. Plus, OF COURSE, reaching out to the COTH hive mind.
I don’t have knowledge to offer but will be on the learning side with this.
Will be watching and thinking the best thoughts for your horse and you.
1 Like
Beautiful horse!! Sending jingles and hugs for both of you. Please drop a note after your appointment. 
1 Like
FWIW, all three of our gray horses lived to be almost 30 and all three had melanomas eventually–all on the tail area or the tail itself. We left them alone.
3 Likes
Jingles for a successful removal. So glad you reached out to the other clinic to get a second opinion. Anything growing that fast should be looked at.
7 Likes
My chestnut Warmblood had something that presented very similar in the same location and it ended up being a type of sarcoid. Removal went well.
5 Likes
Thanks. I’m glad to hear that. So far whenever I look at information about sarcoids they look very different than what we are experiencing. How long ago was the excision? Did you treat with anything? No reoccurrence?
1 Like
Thank you. Unfortunately he’s not gray and it’s my understanding that the prognosis is not great for non-gray horses. I might be grasping at straws hoping he is turning gray. I’m in that purgatory of not knowing and over thinking.
3 Likes
I am wondering the same thing - I really don’t know where that would be exactly - if I had to guess that’s not where I would guess lol - anyway, he is hyper reactive to bug bites in general and prone to hives from biting insects so I’m hoping maybe it’s something scar related - like sarcoids or granuloma - although I don’t know if that would present as multiple nodules. I’m a week away from knowing and being obsessive in the interim. I will keep ya’ll informed of the dx.
2 Likes
Fwiw, I have a horse with a lumpy thing in her throat latch, and a bug bite granuloma is exactly what my vet said it was.
If he’s particularly sensitive to bugs, maybe this is just what happens. Kinda weird, but at least not a terrible thing. Here’s hoping!
2 Likes
Yes, I hope that is all it is, an unusual hyper reaction to bug/ tick bites.
1 Like
This can happen with an irritated hair follicle too, which maybe some dirt got up in there? My Old Man horse had a handful of these right on his girthline as a young man, and they took almost a year to go away. I was told it was some kind of heat rash/dirt rash/friction rash.
You could inject them with steroid and see if that reduces them?
1 Like
