[Tif_Ann]

Ok. I need talking down. I've had a crappy, crappy year with animals. The year started with my sister's boyfriend's 4 yr old morgan having to be euthanized due to bladder cancer .... followed by my 20+ year old cat dying the end of January, having to euthanize my 24 yr old TB due to complications of melanoma on March 15, and then my 13 year old Siberian Husky just passed away in his sleep last Sunday. Today I called the vet due to my half-blind mustang has what looks kind of like a scrape on his eyelid - only it isn't healing and keeps crusting over and he's had an excessive amount of crusty drainage on his face lately. He also has a small black growth on his lower eyelid that I keep picking off because it looks like dirt but it's attached and the skin underneath it looks just like the skin on the upper eyelid that isn't healing....

Anyway, the vet wants to seem him TODAY to rule out squamous cell carcinoma. I'm stressing, already raw from all my losses, and Pi is my "heart horse" ... I'm not sure what I'm going to do if I lose him too. I know we're not facing that TODAY but sheesh.

[appychik]

Well, best of luck to you at the vet appointment. I know that sometimes everything seems to be not in your favor... I have moments like that too. Let us know what happens!

Oh, and remember: "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade". I always try to remain optimistic, though it is easier said then done.

[Tif_Ann]

PS - all of this stuff is happening on his GOOD eye, of course. We're taking him in at four so hopefully it's just a scrape or something simple. I've had enough of equine cancer this year.

[li'l bit]

Jingling for the best of luck at your appointment. You're due for some, that's for sure. (((((((((((hugs))))))))))

[tpup]

Jingling for lots of good luck! You really deserve it. Let us know how it goes.

[Simkie]

Oh man, I'm sorry to hear of your list of troubles. I went through a similar streak last summer, and I can tell you: it does end and get better eventually. (I am furiously knocking on wood as I type that, though!)

For me, it was:

Little dog with probable obstruction, several days at the clinic, she got better just about when we were going to open her up.

Big dog with two episodes of idiopathic colitis. One more and we need to biopsy her intestine

Cat with thin, friable skin prone to tearing spontaneously. ACTH stim test negative, skin biopsy indicated allergies. Seems to be doing better with a food change.

Horse was lame, looked like hocks, but unchanged 3 weeks following hock injections. Sent her to a bone scan after not finding anything when we ultrasounded and radiographed the WHOLE HORSE. Hot at C6/C7, more rads showed bony change, she felt good after injecting the neck.

Little dog popped a mast cell tumor, which was removed, but my vet didn't get clean margins, so we had to send her back to surgery. Clean margins the second time, but left her with a WHOPPING scar.

Sigh.

[Tif_Ann]

You know - I keep thinking it has to end. My worry has centered around my 13 year old German Shepherd who was best friends to the Siberian Husky for over ten years. Didn't expect anything to popup with either of my horses, both are younger (Pi is 11, Tommy 13) and typically pretty healthy. But I do tend to take any injury or problem on his good eye very seriously....

Still hoping that it's just a scrape or something that isn't healing. Of course, he's a very loudly colored pinto and that side of his face/eye is completely white. *sigh*

[esdressage]

Anxiously awaiting results right there with you. Jingle, jingle and jingle again...

[Altamont Sport Horses]

Many jingles!!!! The signs you mentioned are suspicious but it's good you are getting it looked at fast.

I had a similar year where I lost 2 horses and the best dog in the whole world (GSD). Then the dog that my ex and I had together but which went with him when we split up was experiencing sudden pneumothorax and had to have two surgeries to remove damaged lung. It didn't look like he was going to make it. He did but I was worn out emotionally and it was hard to think about it. I'm still torn up about my mares and my dog. Last year my dog had mast cell tumor removed but they could not get clean margins due to the size (it grew fast) and it was wrapped around a major blood vessel. So I'm constantly on guard looking for any sign that it is growing back. We have 3 horses with ERU so I understand your worry about the eyes. My riding horse has come up repeatedly lame and one of my broodmares is recently diagnosed with IR. It's *always* something.

So, I feel for you. But it's got to start looking up for you soon.

[Tif_Ann]

Well ... luck is not on my side. They are definitely tumors, but at least they are "pre cancerous" ... squamous cell carcinoma. They are NOT agressive at least, but we are going to start treatment as soon as the meds get here. Some kind of time release "dots" are going to be injected I guess? The ones on the upper eyelid are great candidates for surgery if need be, but the one on his lower eyelid is harder because they want to take 4-5mm around it and that runs the risk of him not being able to protect his eye as well.

The shocker of it is a thorough examination of the eye indicates he is a lot more blind than we thought. I've always assumed he had decent vision in that eye because he's fully blind in the other. But no ... he has a pretty decent cataract and I'm not sure if they said detached retina or cornea ... I was in tears by that point! But basically he is 80-90% blind in his GOOD eye, only really sees some light and shadows/shapes. BUT this horse is worth the treatment. Once we get the tumors dealt with we will be sending him in for cataract surgery.

He is only 2.5 years under saddle, 11 yrs old, was a wild stallion until he was 7 ... and now he not only trail rides out alone (YESTERDAY!) but is schooling second level dressage and just last weekend placed first in hunter hack at a local open show. He is willing and very talented ... and very worth the treatment. Knowing he's already nearly completely blind and yet is so amazing makes it absolutely worth the effort.

So.... thanks for the jingles, and I'll be back to ask for them when we get to the surgery stage!

[TeddyRocks]

Well ... luck is not on my side. They are definitely tumors, but at least they are "pre cancerous" ... squamous cell carcinoma. They are NOT agressive at least, but we are going to start treatment as soon as the meds get here. Some kind of time release "dots" are going to be injected I guess? The ones on the upper eyelid are great candidates for surgery if need be, but the one on his lower eyelid is harder because they want to take 4-5mm around it and that runs the risk of him not being able to protect his eye as well.

I am sooo jingling for you. I also ask for jingles for my guy... He has a tumor looking thing on his upper gum area, in front that is affecting the teeth also. The biopsy came back after about 3 weeks, and it is squamous cell carcinoma. Surgury is set for Friday to remove it along with about 3 teeth. The vet said if it is only in the gum/tissue, prognosis is good, but if it's in the bone, then it isn't 'good'... Does anyone have any experience with anything like this in the MOUTH/Head? The vet says it's rare in this area. He never has seen it in the front of the mouth also. Usually in the back of the jaw... Sooo stressed. This is a horse that has NEVER had any health issues. Does anyone know how medical insurance works with this? How long it takes to get the ball rolling? This is an expense I didn't see coming. The insurance agent is sending me paperwork as we speak...Any advice/information would be great...

[goeslikestink]

Well ... luck is not on my side. They are definitely tumors, but at least they are "pre cancerous" ... squamous cell carcinoma. They are NOT agressive at least, but we are going to start treatment as soon as the meds get here. Some kind of time release "dots" are going to be injected I guess? The ones on the upper eyelid are great candidates for surgery if need be, but the one on his lower eyelid is harder because they want to take 4-5mm around it and that runs the risk of him not being able to protect his eye as well.

The shocker of it is a thorough examination of the eye indicates he is a lot more blind than we thought. I've always assumed he had decent vision in that eye because he's fully blind in the other. But no ... he has a pretty decent cataract and I'm not sure if they said detached retina or cornea ... I was in tears by that point! But basically he is 80-90% blind in his GOOD eye, only really sees some light and shadows/shapes. BUT this horse is worth the treatment. Once we get the tumors dealt with we will be sending him in for cataract surgery.

He is only 2.5 years under saddle, 11 yrs old, was a wild stallion until he was 7 ... and now he not only trail rides out alone (YESTERDAY!) but is schooling second level dressage and just last weekend placed first in hunter hack at a local open show. He is willing and very talented ... and very worth the treatment. Knowing he's already nearly completely blind and yet is so amazing makes it absolutely worth the effort.

So.... thanks for the jingles, and I'll be back to ask for them when we get to the surgery stage!

ossy is almost completely blind has been that way since he was young started at 4mths old hes grown up with it so got used to it he won everything from sj to eventing to ht to x/c etc amd pc activities today hes 19 and still rides out only has 20% vision in his right eye

make sure you wear a fly mask at all times and have him in on bad windy days or days that are to sunnny