EQUINE | International News selected cases . Lymphoma may occur as a mass in , on , or around the eye , and the clinical signs associated with its development will depend on its location . Although occasionally this may be a solitary mass , lymphoma has a high likelihood of involving distant structures , and without very early recognition and treatment is often fatal . Complete surgical removal of the eye and surrounding structures may be curative in some cases .
EQUINE | International News selected cases . Lymphoma may occur as a mass in , on , or around the eye , and the clinical signs associated with its development will depend on its location . Although occasionally this may be a solitary mass , lymphoma has a high likelihood of involving distant structures , and without very early recognition and treatment is often fatal . Complete surgical removal of the eye and surrounding structures may be curative in some cases .
Mast cell tumors are occasionally seen affecting the structures around the eye , and can usually be successfully surgically removed . In horses ( unlike in dogs ) they are rarely a malignant lesion .
chance of success , but is only available in a small number of specialty centers .
Melanomas are most commonly found in grey horses and may be within the skin or affecting the structures of the eye itself . Although a majority are considered benign tumors , in horses that are not grey melanomas are likely to be malignant , and even in grey horses they often metastasize . Skin melanomas are usually successfully treated via surgical excision , but melanomas within the eye itself often require enucleation ( removal of the eye ). Occasionally , surgical removal of an intraocular melanoma may be successfully attempted , but this is a highly specialized surgery and is rarely a suitable option .
Squamous cell carcinomas commonly are diagnosed in the structures around the eye , and are especially likely to occur in horses with limited pigmentation of these structures . They will eventually metastasize , and early complete surgical removal is recommended as it is frequently curative , although horses with no pigmentation will always be at risk of developing further lesions . Radiation treatment and topical or intralesional chemotherapy can also be useful in
Other tumor types are very rare , but may present in a variety of forms . It is always prudent to seek early veterinary intervention when masses arise to maximize the chance of a good result .
CONTACT : Anna Hollis , BVetMed , DACVIM , DipECEIM , MRCVS , anna . hollis @ aht . org . uk , Animal Health Trust , Newmarket , United Kingdom
Hurricane Harvey : Impact and Response Related to Texas Equids
Hurricane Harvey was a storm for the record books , striking the Texas coast in late August 2017 . The storm battered communities with Category 4 winds and lingered for four days , and causing rain bands stretching 100 miles inland and 300 miles up the coast . Heavy rainfall saturated the Houston metropolitan area , with one particular location receiving in excess of 60 inches and setting a new record for rainfall totals in a single U . S . storm . While the wind did its share of damage , it was the massive amount of rain and subsequent flooding over the following two weeks that had the most devastating impact on people , animals , property , and crops .
36 • Equine Health Update •