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Discussion on Non-typical melanoma in 6yo grey
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Member:
kjthoma
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Posted on Friday, Jan 13, 2012 - 11:31 am:
So I had a lesion drained last week - we thot it was maybe an old hematoma. The skin and hair in the area look completely normal.
It's right where her neck joins her shoulder.
The drainage looked kinda wierd, tho - so the vet sent it to the lab.
They indicated that it is a melanoma and should be removed. (it's about the size of the palm of my hand).
Does the 'non plaque-y' appearance, non-typical site, and rapid onset have any implications to whether she is getting them internally?
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Member:
kjthoma
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Posted on Friday, Jan 13, 2012 - 8:10 pm:
Surgeon took out something about the size of a plum and is sending it out to pathology. It was VERY deep in the neck muscle.
Definitely black - but not sure if it's a lymph node related to this other deal that was above it or not.
There was something that we all thot was a scar about 6" above it - he took it off and it was really a melanoma that she had rubbed at some point.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Jan 14, 2012 - 1:12 pm:
Hello Kimberly,
I do think the history you describe suggests this may be a malignant melanoma but the histopath will tell you for sure. As to whether it has metastasized to internal organs I do not know.
DrO
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Member:
kjthoma
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Posted on Saturday, Jan 14, 2012 - 1:27 pm:
Can the pathologists tell if something is an agressive form vs. not?
Or are all of the malignant ones considered aggressive?
The tumor, I think, has been there for awhile and was just now getting to where it was visible at the surface. Speculating on this because she moves really crookedly under saddle - and the tumor here would have been REALLY uncomfortable.
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Member:
kjthoma
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Posted on Saturday, Jan 14, 2012 - 1:32 pm:
PS - I did have the vet do a rectal before he started just in case.
For the areas that he could access that way, he didn't feel anything suspicious.
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Member:
kjthoma
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 19, 2012 - 8:26 pm:
Got a short report from the surgeon from my husband.
The tumor was a lymph node that had been filtering cells from the spot higher up on the neck. Surgeon said that taking both out will frequently stop it spreading.
On a short voice mail, he said that we got all of 'it' - but I am not positive which 'it'. E.g. the small melanoma on the neck or the lymph node....
Unfortunately - we found a walnut sized lump under her jaw on the other side last nite, so am waiting on a more detailed conversation.
Dr. O. can the pathologists tell if something is 'low grade' vs 'high grade' in malignancy?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Jan 20, 2012 - 5:59 pm:
Hello Kimberly
Yes, usually the degree of mitosis (cell division) and the abnormality of the cells morphology correlate with how malignant a cell is.
DrO
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Member:
kjthoma
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Posted on Friday, Jan 20, 2012 - 10:15 pm:
Fortunately, the pathologist said that while she should be watched, he didn't think it likely that this would spread further now that we've gotten the main tumor off.
YEA!
And the other lump is because she has a pendulous thryoid....
So I feel like I've doged a major bullet!
Hopefully I will be able to get a copy of the path report.
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Member:
frances
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Posted on Saturday, Jan 21, 2012 - 8:10 am:
Very good news!!
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Saturday, Jan 21, 2012 - 6:00 pm:
Wonderful! Good luck with this!
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Member:
kjthoma
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Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2013 - 1:05 am:
Unfortunately, we think that the melanoma got her. This is the same mare that I posted about having a total personality change this summer.
We first thot reproductive, then found ulcers. Once the ulcers were gone and she was back to being a sweetie pie on the ground, we attempted to get her back under saddle, but couldn't.
We then started ground work like one would do w/ a young horse, and noticed what looked kind of like Dr O's description of fibrotic myopathy.
W/in 2 weeks she was having neuro symptoms that were grade 2/3. Nothing on x-rays...
We are still waiting on EPM test results, but given discussions w/ the vet, we belive that some of what I thought were 'quirks' last year were really early signs of neurological issues.
Very sad.  And still kinda coming to grips w/ putting her to sleep later this month.
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2013 - 1:25 pm:
So very sorry to hear about this sad outcome.
You have my sincere condolences.
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Member:
rdewitt
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Posted on Friday, Feb 8, 2013 - 7:29 pm:
My mare had very bad melanoma under the tail, but common for a grey. She colicked badly last month and we had to put her to sleep. Didn't do surgery because she was 25 not young, and vet was very worried colic was directly related to melanoma under tail (lots and lots of them, couldn't remove them they would grow back etc) but I'm pretty sure that is what it was that caused the colic. Loved her so much, she was very sensitive, had to be careful with her back, etc. now I wonder how much was related to internal melanoma.
Very very sorry for you, I do know how you feel
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