Marble Size lumps in groin/inguinal region - Have you ever seen something like this?

[CanteringCarrot]

@zap

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?

Mine had nodular sarcoids and those look a bit similar to what your horse has.

This was back in 2016, and I sold the horse a few years later. No reoccurrence while I owned him.

[GraceLikeRain]

Sending jingles. He’s a really handsome guy and that AA brain is priceless. I hope you get peace of mind and clarity on next steps. Every horse deserves to be loved like they are worth $1M and he’s luck to have you as an observant advocate.

[Long_Time_Lurker]

I had a bay gelding with something similar, also started out pea size and grew to marble size. Also turned out to be a sarcoid.

[LovieBird]

Looks like nodular sarcoid to me

[zap]

Thanks so much. I had not previously come across the term “nodular” sarcoids. Until I specifically looked for that term all the sarcoid photos I found were of flat or angry sores. This would be a much more welcome dx than melanoma. Although my reading of sarcoids is pretty scary stuff too. I need to stop ‘googling’ and just patiently wait. Hopefully whatever it is can be removed and never return.

[OzarksRider]

@LovieBird

Looks like nodular sarcoid to me

I think sarcoids tend to be hairless, or at least the hair is thinned. The nodules in the photos look like they have normal hair on them. But, the only way to know for sure is to get a pathology report.

One of my horses once had a small hairless nodule on his chest. Vet thought it was an abnormal reaction to a tick bite, but over several months it looked like it was slowly growing, and when it started to bleed I had it excised and sent off for pathology. The report came back “suggestive of sarcoid.” Vet still thought it was a benign reaction to a tick bite, and I think he was probably right. I had pulled a couple of ticks off the horse in that area, and I think the bleeding was caused by him nipping at it with his teeth. We’ll never be 100% sure what it was, but in any case the incision healed normally and it never came back.

[IPEsq]

Friend’s mare had something in a similar location, and it was a sarcoid. First surgery was not entirely successful, and it did come back. Recently removed for a second time and grew to egg sized. I hadn’t seen them present quite this way before either.

[fourfillies]

My gelding had a nodular sarcoid on his sheath. Looked very similar. They can infiltrate a bit and recur as my guys did. We are 3 years out from the wider excision and no recurrence. After the second surgery we did inject bleomycin beads as there is some literature that may decrease recurrence. Good luck! He is precious!

[LovieBird]

They can be, depending on the type. There are 5 different types of sarcoid.

[zap]

UPDATE: surgery was Wednesday. All the nodules were removed in tact and surgeon didn’t feel the need to use cisplatin. My worst fear was melanoma but vet said he thought they looked sarcoid in nature. He is home recovering now and pathology should be back in a week. Thank you for your responses and positive thoughts.

[trubandloki]

Jingles for an easy recovery!

[Paint_Party]

Glad to hear the vet could remove them in tact. Jingles for all good news from here on!

[zap]

Vet called with histopath results. These are Spindle Cell Tumors but not likely sarcoids or fibro-sarcoma, he thought it was likely fibroma. Unfortunately tissue did not have clean margins. Vet said to let him heal and watch closely and let him know if anything changes.
It never occurred to me that after pathology I wouldn’t have a clear diagnosis/prognosis. I guess all I know for certain is that it’s not melanoma. They are gone, he is recovering well and now we just wait and see if they return. If you have any suggestions of questions I should have asked let me know.

[Simkie]

Wow, that’s … maybe not great news? The literature is kind of confusing, with multiple references to spindle cell tumors = sarcoids, but also many different types of spindle cell tumors existing in horses?

It may be worth discussing with oncology at your local referral hospital, just to have them review the histopath & history, and see if they have further input. This seems perhaps outside of a generalist’s scope, and more eyeballs on the case is never a bad thing.

[OzarksRider]

@zap

It never occurred to me that after pathology I wouldn’t have a clear diagnosis/prognosis.

@OzarksRider

One of my horses once had a small hairless nodule on his chest. Vet thought it was an abnormal reaction to a tick bite, but over several months it looked like it was slowly growing, and when it started to bleed I had it excised and sent off for pathology. The report came back “suggestive of sarcoid.” Vet still thought it was a benign reaction to a tick bite, and I think he was probably right. I had pulled a couple of ticks off the horse in that area, and I think the bleeding was caused by him nipping at it with his teeth. We’ll never be 100% sure what it was, but in any case the incision healed normally and it never came back.

Yep, sometimes you just don’t get a definitive answer. It will just have to be one of life’s mysteries.

[Demerara_Stables]

@Simkie

It may be worth discussing with oncology at your local referral hospital, just to have them review the histopath & history, and see if they have further input. This seems perhaps outside of a generalist’s scope, and more eyeballs on the case is never a bad thing.

Second this. As someone who had a bone tumor misdiagnosed in a dog by her local vet, I absolutely suggest talking with someone who has a specialty in this sort of thing.

[NaturallyHappy]

I’d get a second opinion, too.