Surgical technique, outcome, complications, and recurrence rate for removal of extensive perianal melanomas: 50 treated horses.
Abstract: To describe surgical treatment and outcome for horses with extensive perianal melanomas. Unassigned: Gray horses treated surgically for extensive perianal melanoma between July 1, 2020, and July 31, 2023, were eligible. Horses without the entire perianal skin covered with coalescing or ulcerating melanomas were excluded. Unassigned: 59 horses (30 mares, 27 geldings, and 2 stallions) met the inclusion criteria. Median age was 16 years (range, 7 to 28 years). Clinical signs included tenesmus (n = 53), weight loss (3), and hind limb lameness (1). Six horses presented with no complaints; in these horses, surgery was performed preventively. Time since melanoma first appeared was < 5 years (n = 21), 5 to 10 years (18), > 10 years (9), or unknown (11). Tails were affected in all horses. Melanoma occurred elsewhere for 58 horses. All horses underwent presurgical thoracic and abdominal ultrasonography. Unassigned: Horses underwent standing sedation combined with epidural anesthesia (n = 51) or general anesthesia (8). Surgery involved circumferential incisions at the junction between the skin and melanomas and mucocutaneous junction of the rectum, blunt and sharp dissection to remove the masses, and rectal reconstruction. Perirectal tumors were removed via separate vertical incisions. Tail amputation was performed for 13 horses. Follow-up data (median, 19 months; range, 6 to 48 months) were available for 50 horses; clinical signs improved for 44 (88%), recurrence was observed for 6 (12%), and complications occurred for 15 (30%). Unassigned: Results indicated that this surgical procedure is a viable treatment option for horses with extensive perianal melanoma.
Publication Date: 2025-05-07 PubMed ID: 40334706DOI: 10.2460/javma.24.12.0816Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research article records the results of a surgical technique used on 50 horses for the removal of extensive perianal melanomas, the outcomes of which indicate the procedure as a viable treatment option for this issue.
Study Participants
- The research included gray horses undergoing surgery for extensive perianal melanoma between July 2020 and July 2023.
- A total of 59 horses: 30 mares, 27 geldings, and 2 stallions, ranging from 7 to 28 years of age, were eligible for this study.
- The study excluded horses who didn’t have the entire perianal skin covered with coalescing or ulcerating melanomas.
- Common clinical signs among these horses were tenesmus, weight loss, and hind limb lameness, but six horses didn’t present any complications and underwent surgery preventively.
- Most horses had a history of the appearance of melanoma for less than ten years, with some having the history documented as unknown.
Pre-surgical Assessments
- All horses underwent presurgical thoracic and abdominal ultrasonography. This was important to assess the extent and size of the melanomas.
- Every horse was found to have tail issues, and all but one had melanoma in other parts of their body.
Surgical Procedure
- Differently, 51 horses were given standing sedation combined with epidural anesthesia, and 8 were assigned general anesthesia.
- The surgery included making circumferential incisions at the skin and melanoma junction and the rectum’s mucocutaneous junction, followed by dissection to remove the masses and reconstruct the rectum.
- Perirectal tumors were removed via separate vertical incisions.
- Thirteen horses had their tails amputated.
Outcomes and Follow-up
- Follow-up data was collected for a median of 19 months (ranging from 6 to 48 months) for 50 horses.
- Out of these 50 horses, clinical signs improved for 44 (88%), recurrence was observed in 6 (12%), and complications occurred in 15 (30%).
- These results indicated that the surgical procedure can be a viable treatment option for horses with extensive perianal melanoma.
Cite This Article
APA
Haegeman L, Foucaud M, Joostens Z, Declercq J, Vinardell T, Kadic D, Mariën T.
(2025).
Surgical technique, outcome, complications, and recurrence rate for removal of extensive perianal melanomas: 50 treated horses.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 263(7), 914-921.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.24.12.0816 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- 1Equitom Equine Clinic, Lummen, Belgium.
- 1Equitom Equine Clinic, Lummen, Belgium.
- 1Equitom Equine Clinic, Lummen, Belgium.
- 1Equitom Equine Clinic, Lummen, Belgium.
- 2Equine Care Group, Lummen, Belgium.
- 1Equitom Equine Clinic, Lummen, Belgium.
- 1Equitom Equine Clinic, Lummen, Belgium.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Female
- Melanoma / veterinary
- Melanoma / surgery
- Male
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / veterinary
- Postoperative Complications / veterinary
- Treatment Outcome
- Anus Neoplasms / surgery
- Anus Neoplasms / veterinary
- Skin Neoplasms / surgery
- Skin Neoplasms / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Muresu Ibba GM, Poeta A, De Lorenzi G, Pupillo G, D'Annunzio G, Pezzarossi A, Bisceglia I, Mangone L. Melanoma in horses: distribution by sex, age, nationality, and slaughterhouse findings in 28 horses from Northern Italy. Vet Res Commun 2025 Oct 29;50(1):12.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists